Occupational Therapy International最新文献

Introduction: The application of the person-environment-occupation-performance (PEOP) model in occupational therapy education offers valuable insights into the interaction between person, environment, and occupational factors and how these elements influenced the strategies used to adapt and navigate the transformation of health professions education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored how individual characteristics, contextual demands, and the nature of educational occupations shaped the adaptation and performance of educators and students. Materials and Methods: The study used a qualitative, exploratory research design at a public higher education institution (HEI) in South Africa, focusing on the occupational therapy program. Purposive sampling was used to recruit key participants (n = 44), including management, academic educators, clinical supervisors (academics), academic support educators, and occupational therapy students. Data collection occurred via the Zoom platform for 45-60-min semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis, guided by the PEOP model, was employed to analyze qualitative data, which was recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo (Version 12 Pro). The study ensured trustworthiness and adherence to ethical principles. Results: The PEOP model was used as a framework to formulate the themes, namely, (1) person, (2) environment, (3) occupation, (4) occupational performance, and (5) occupational performance and participation. In the context of occupational therapy education, particular emphasis was placed on the adaptations and responses of educators and students as they navigated the demands of their educational occupations during the pandemic. Discussion: The curriculum underwent rapid adjustments, requiring theoretical instruction and clinical practice modifications. These changes posed significant challenges and highlighted pre-existing gaps within HEIs, as experienced by educators and students. Conclusions: This study highlighted the importance of supporting optimal occupational performance among educators and students, emphasizing the necessity of providing adequate resources and support. This ensures the well-being of educators and students, enabling effective engagement and participation as they navigate the evolving educational landscape.

Purpose: This study explored the administration of goal attainment scaling (GAS) by entry-level occupational therapy (OT) students, examining their competency following minimal training. While GAS is valuable for measuring progress toward individualized client goals, its implementation requires specific skills and training that may challenge entry-level practitioners. Method: Using retrospective data from a study of sensory garments' effects on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we analyzed GAS administration by five entry-level OT students. Students received both indirect training through their curriculum and 3 h of direct research-specific preparation. Using a modified version of the GAS checklist, we evaluated students' competency through video recordings of GAS administration sessions and written GAS. Results: Analysis revealed variable competency levels among students. While overall performance met 82.4% of checklist criteria, individual student competency varied considerably (54.5%-95.4%). Three of five students achieved the established 75% competency threshold. Students consistently met criteria for conceptual goal construction and timeframe specification but struggled with maintaining single dimensions of change and specifying observable behaviors. Conclusions: Entry-level OT students demonstrated varying levels of competency in GAS administration following minimal training. Our findings suggest the need for more comprehensive training in specific aspects of GAS, particularly in scale construction and behavioral specification. These results have important implications for how OT programs prepare students to implement GAS in clinical practice.

Basic Activities of Daily Living-Preschool Period Tool (BADL-P) is a fast and quick test that does not require a special environment, where activities of daily living (ADLs) in preschool children are questioned. The aim of the study was to conduct a Turkish reliability and cultural adaptation of the BADL-P. The study was conducted among 211 parents of preschool children. Validity was determined using exploratory factor analysis. To determine convergent validity, the Functional Independence Measure for Kids (WeeFIM) scale was used. Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and item-total correlation (ITC) values were calculated to assess the reliability of the BADL-P. Totally, 99 girls and 112 boys, aged 3-6 years, with the children's mean age of 4.50 ± 0.75 years (3 years = 11%, 4 years = 32.1%, 5 years = 52.2%, and 6 years = 4.8%), were included. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the BADL-P had sufficient fit. The BADL-P was weakly to highly correlated with the WeeFIM (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha and ICC values of the BADL-P were acceptable (0.912 and 0.837, respectively). The ITC values of each item of the BADL-P were also acceptable (ranged from 0.232 to 0.683). Children in the 5-6 age group demonstrated higher scores and exhibited more advanced development in the ADL areas compared to children in the 3-4 age group (p < 0.05). The Turkish version of the BADL-P is valid, reliable, and sensitive to assessing and monitoring the performance of Turkish preschool children in ADL.

Background: Individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB may struggle to return to work after they have completed a rehabilitation program. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) has been seen as a condition that is resistant to treatment, hence causing individuals to be economically in-active for considerable periods of time. Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore the views of individuals living with MDRTB, individuals with TB, and health professionals treating individuals with TB and MDRTB about the development of a vocational rehabilitation program. Method: The researchers used an exploratory descriptive research design, and semistructured interviews were conducted with five key informants and four participants who were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and MDRTB. Thematic analysis was used in order to analyse the study findings. The current study is the second of two articles. The first article focused on barriers and facilitators linked to returning to work for individuals living with TB and MDRTB. The current article focuses on the development of a vocational rehabilitation program. Results: The findings of the original study revealed five themes; however, for the purpose of this article, only two themes will be presented, namely, Theme 1: promoting a holistic model and Theme 2: the use of resources for activity engagement. The latter theme contributed to the participant's view of the development of a vocational rehabilitation program. Conclusion: The study provided a description of the components of a vocational rehabilitation program that has been adapted from the Model of Occupational Self-Efficacy (MOOSE). The above program has been designed for individuals diagnosed with PTB/MDRTB and has the potential to assist them in returning to work. It is suggested that vocational rehabilitation programs be incorporated into general medical programs that focus on improving the functioning of individuals diagnosed with PTB/MDRTB.

This study is aimed at investigating the impact of internal and external attention focus on learning a throwing skill in children with autism, as well as the relationship between working memory and learning rate. Twenty-four children aged 6-8 years with autism were assigned to internal and external attention groups. Participants performed a throwing task while their working memory was assessed using Cornoldi's working memory test. The data was analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measures involving two attention instructions and five blocks during the acquisition stage. An independent t-test was conducted during the retention phase. Furthermore, a Pearson correlation test was utilized to explore any potential relationship between working memory and performance in both the acquisition and retention stages. Data analysis revealed no significant difference between the internal and external attention groups during the acquisition phase (p > 0.05), but a significant difference was found in the retention phase (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between working memory and learning outcomes (p > 0.05). The results suggest that internal attention may enhance motor learning in children with autism, and reducing working memory load does not necessarily favor external attention.

Introduction: Poor fit between the work environment and work expectations is associated with high levels of workplace-related stress. Work stress in occupational therapy has been attributed to the nature of the profession and various other workplace-related factors. Workplace-related stress leading to burnout has been found to be higher in early career occupational therapists with less than 5 years of experience. This study explored workplace factors that result in poor person-work environment fit in six work-life areas in South African early career occupational therapists. Methods: A descriptive electronic survey design was used to access a sample of South African 261 occupational therapists with 2-5 years of work experience. The Area of Work-Life Survey (AWS) considers six work-life areas: control, workload, community, rewards, values, and fairness, which were used to collect data. Data were analysed to determine low, moderate, and high work environment fit for workplace factors including employment setting, field of practice, years' experience, time with current organization, and hours worked. Results: Of the six work-life areas, only the scores for workload fell below the norm for the respondents. All six work-life areas were impacted by employment settings, with respondents in public health hospitals and clinics indicating significantly low person-environment fit in most areas. Respondents in physical rehabilitation had a significantly low fit for workload, as did years of experience, length of time with organization, and hours worked. Fairness had a low fit for physical rehabilitation and medicolegal fields of practice. Conclusion: Workload impacted workplace-related stress in respondents with scores below the norm on the AWS for this work-life area. Although some work-related factors affected workplace-related stress, the overall scores for the other work-life areas were above the norm, with only respondents in public service settings and in the field of physical rehabilitation reporting low work environment fit.

Background and Purpose: The present study is aimed at evaluating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Iranian adolescents' participation in various domains of life. The electronic version of the Iranian Adolescent Participation Assessment Tool-COVID-19 (IAPAT-C) was developed and validated for this purpose. Methods: This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the electronic version of the IAPAT-C was developed and validated through a methodological study involving five stages: content validity review, cognitive interviews, item analysis, structural validity assessment using confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis. The tool was adapted from the previously validated IAPAT and revalidated for this study. In the second phase, the effects of COVID-19 on adolescents' participation were evaluated using a longitudinal one group before and after comparative design. The study involved 654 adolescents aged 13-18, and the data were analyzed using SPSS19 and G⁣^∗Power 3 software. Results: The IAPAT-C evaluates the participation of Iranian adolescents in 54 daily life activities before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It utilizes a 5-point Likert scale and was validated through an expert panel review for content validity. Additionally, cognitive interviews with six adolescents confirmed its comprehensibility, relevance, and comprehensiveness. Item analysis, based on data from 38 participants, demonstrated strong interitem correlations (0.6-0.94) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7). The tool's structural validity was supported by confirmatory factor analysis, which showed that the measurement model was a good fit. Convergent and discriminant validity of model constructs were also confirmed. Notably, COVID-19 significantly impacted all aspects of adolescents' lives, except for work. Conclusion: The electronic version of the IAPAT-C was valid and reliable. COVID-19 significantly affected various aspects of Iranian adolescents' daily lives. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide appropriate interventions and policies for this sensitive class.

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common motor and postural developmental disability impacting daily activities like toileting. Despite its importance, toileting has often been undervalued in healthcare. This study is aimed at identifying and assessing the level of influence of various factors affecting toileting in individuals with CP using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) framework. Methods: The Delphi method was employed to reach a consensus on factors influencing toileting in individuals with CP. One hundred fifty-eight professionals from 17 countries, each with at least 3 years' experience in CP and/or toileting, participated in this two-round study. Ethical approval (IR.IUMS.REC.1400.1111) and informed consent were obtained. The questionnaire, available in Farsi and English, used a Likert scale (5 = very high impact to 1 = no impact). Factors with 75% agreement and a mean above 3.75 were included in the final list, while those with 50%-75% agreement or a mean between 2.5 and 3.75 proceeded to the second round. Factors were initially identified through a literature review and research team consultation and categorized according to the ICF-CY framework using the ICF 10 RULES. Validation and refinement were done through focus groups with caregivers and experienced professionals to ensure alignment with the framework and methodological rigor. Results: The study highlighted significant factors influencing toileting activities in individuals with CP. Within the ICF-CY framework, "neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions" scored highest at 94.5% in "body functions and structures." "Toilet environment" scored 90.5% in "environmental factors." Support and relationship factors scored 82.3%. Attitudes toward "menstruation" ranked highest at 92.9%. Associated deficits with CP ranked top in personal factors at 93.7%. Conclusion: The study identifies key factors influencing toileting activity performance in individuals with CP. "Main caregiver" emerges as a pivotal factor, followed by neuromusculoskeletal functions, personal factors, attitudes toward menstruation, the toilet environment, and support and relationships.

This study investigated the treatment methods used by physical and occupational therapists for poststroke paretic upper limbs and the factors influencing their decision-making processes. For the treatment methods of poststroke paretic upper limbs, the respondents were asked to select the most clinically used treatment according to the severity of the patient's condition. For the factors influencing their decision-making processes, the respondents were asked to indicate each determinant using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = no influence at all to 5 = very strong influence). Six hundred thirty-eight therapists participated in this study. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the validity of the questionnaire. The findings indicated task-specific training (N = 333, 52%) as the most popular for mild cases, followed by repetitive facilitative exercise (n = 143, 22.3%) for moderate cases and electrical stimulation (n = 246, 38.4%) for severe cases. This study revealed that evidence about treatment (very strong: n = 171 (27.0%), and strong: n = 287 (45.0%)) and patient preferences (very strong: n = 203 (31.8%), and strong: n = 251 (39.3%)) affected decision-making significantly regarding treatment methods for the poststroke paretic upper limb.