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Case-based learning enables the application of theory to practice using real-life patient cases. The present study aims to compare the effect between video cases and paper cases on motivation for learning and knowledge acquisition to perform a clinical reasoning case exercise by occupational therapy students. A mixed-methods design was used with 120 students randomized into two groups. All students conducted a clinical reasoning case exercise on the same case, although in different presentation formats: paper case and video case. The quantitative measures of this study were the scores of motivation for learning from the Instructional Material Motivation Survey and the grades of a clinical reasoning case exercise. The qualitative part was based on the positive and negative aspects perceived by the participants. The results showed that the motivation for learning was significantly higher for the video case compared to the paper case, although there were no differences in the grades of the clinical reasoning case exercise between the two groups. The video cases were perceived as more relevant to professional practice and more informative in terms of non-verbal communication and context. In light of the results, teachers could use these two formats of presentation of cases with different objectives.

An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has been recognised as a reliable but workload-intensive assessment method across health sciences studies. Though a variety of digital marking tools have been employed to improve marking and feedback provision for OSCEs, many of these require specialist software or maintenance. This pilot study examines the development and trialling of Microsoft Forms as a marking and feedback instrument for an OSCE within a Sport and Exercise Therapy module. This study aims to assess whether the use of a non-specialist digital tool, such as Microsoft Forms, might be able overcome limitations in current assessment procedures and ultimately provide a more effective method for marking and feedback provision for an OSCE. Results from OSCE examiners (N = 8) and students (N = 30) who participated in the pilot indicate that Microsoft Forms does have the potential to provide a more effective experience for examiners and ultimately improve upon feedback provision for students when compared with a paper-based marking tool. However, concerns around the form's ease-of-use may ultimately influence its adoption as a marking instrument above current paper-based methods.

Person-centered approaches to measurement are needed to more fully reach the goals of person-centered practice. Keyform maps, derived from Rasch analysis and principles of person-centered measurement, are thought to be an important tool for translating person-centered measurement into clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of keyform map use in a variety of learning activities embedded across multiple courses in an entry-level occupational therapy curriculum. This paper includes a description of 3 keyform map learning activities and corresponding results. The effects of keyform maps as a signature instructional strategy within entry-level occupational therapy education and implications for future studies are also discussed.

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) typically have motor and language needs. Improving function is a shared goal for the rehabilitation therapy team, however physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology professionals treat patients differently. This difference in care may mask developmental cascades whereby changes in one domain (e.g., motor) can have seemingly unexpected effects on another domain (e.g., language). Objective: This scoping review identified papers where motor and language data have been reported together in children with DS and reinterpreted findings from a developmental cascades lens. Design: Online databases were used to identify 413 papers published before October 2021 from which 33 papers were retained that reported both motor (gross and/or fine) and language (expressive and/or receptive) data in individuals with DS with a chronological age of 0-18 years. Results: The majority of papers (79%) that reported motor and language data in children with DS did not examine their link, while 12% analyzed motor-language links, but using a cross-sectional or retrospective design. Only three papers (9%) utilized a longitudinal design to examine predictive links. Conclusion: Motor functioning and language functioning have often been reported together, but not analyzed together, in studies of children with DS. The few studies that did analyze motor-language links largely replicated findings from other developmental populations where motor gains were positively linked to language gains. Analyzing links between domains when such data is available is needed to fully characterize developmental cascades in DS and may have broad clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilingual speakers' languaging practices are undervalued and problematised in formal teaching and learning spaces in higher education. The environment has legitimised monolingualism as the only acceptable practice, hence students often lack the confidence to recruit their full linguistic repertoires. In the third and fourth years of their Occupational Therapy studies, many African students faced challenges due to socio-historic-political factors that put them at risk of failure. These challenges were addressed in academic support tutorial spaces using pedagogical translanguaging. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the use of translanguaging as a socially just strategy, its affordances, and its challenges. This paper utilises data from a case study within a larger project aiming to describe the use of translanguaging in multilingual teaching and learning settings at a historically White university in South Africa. The case study comprised of eight African students. Linguistic ethnography and Moment analysis were employed. Pedagogical translanguaging and humour were used to create a space conducive to collaborative learning and co-construction of knowledge that granted epistemic access to occupational therapy discourse. Respect and dignity were fundamental in fostering cohesion, improving confidence, enacting speaking rights, and creating a sense of belonging among students who often felt alienated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social impairments experienced by children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can limit participation in meaningful occupations. Incorporating typically developing siblings of children with ASD in occupational therapy-based community settings is an emerging practice approach that aims to support children with ASD during social challenges to enhance their participation in daily activities. The inclusion of siblings in occupational therapy practice presents a unique opportunity to address social skill development while facilitating positive sibling relationships. In this Opinions in the Profession paper, the influential role siblings play as social models for their siblings with ASD will be examined. The purpose of this paper is to describe sibling-mediated interventions and the distinct role of occupational therapists in facilitating positive sibling interactions and relationships through a coaching approach to promote the achievement of positive social and emotional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karen Sames was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. From an early age, she was surrounded by art. An experience with occupational therapy during the third grade jumpstarted her journey connecting art to occupation. Karen believes that art is a necessary part of life and credits much of her own personal success with art to her friends and family for their inspiration and to the instructors at the Eagan Art House in Minnesota. Her piece "Cherry Blossoms," a pastel on paper, is based on a photograph taken by her son, who is currently living in Japan, and graces the cover of the Spring 2024 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the impact of occupational therapy (OT) on the self‐management of function, pain, fatigue, and lived experience for people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Five databases and gray literature were searched up to June 30, 2022. Three reviewers screened titles and abstracts, with two independently extracting and assessing full texts using the Cochrane risk of bias (quantitative) and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (qualitative) tools to assess study quality. Studies were categorized into four intervention types. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) (quantitative) and GRADE‐ Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (qualitative) were used to assess the quality of evidence for each intervention type. Results: Of 39 eligible papers, 29 were quantitative (n = 2,029), 4 qualitative (n = 50), and 6 mixed methods (n = 896). Good evidence supports patient education and behavior change programs for improving pain and function, particularly group sessions of joint protection education, but these do not translate to long‐term improvements for RA (>24 months). Comprehensive OT had mixed evidence (limited to home OT and an arthritis gloves program), whereas limited evidence was available for qualitative insights, splints and assistive devices, and self‐management for fatigue. Conclusion: Although patient education is promising for self‐managing RA, no strong evidence was found to support OT programs for self‐managing fatigue or patient experience and long‐term effectiveness. More research is required on lived experience, and the long‐term efficacy of self‐management approaches incorporating OT, particularly timing programs to meet the individual's conditional needs (i.e., early or established RA) to build on the few studies to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting with a physical disability often brings with it a range of challenges. Occupational therapists are well positioned to support parents to address these challenges, yet occupational therapy research and practice around parenting is relatively scarce. This paper addresses the questions: (1) How should occupational therapists support parenting occupations for people with physical disability? (2) How do parents with physical disability experience occupational therapy? An anonymous survey of 62 parents, primarily mothers, with physical disability about their experiences with parenting challenges and occupational therapy was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Parents experienced challenges in engaging in a range of parenting tasks with children over a range of age groups. Parents reported that support was often needed and indicated that occupational therapy could assist them directly with specific parenting goals as well as the more usual biomechanical goals that influence parenting. Yet less than half of participants who received occupational therapy services reported that parenting tasks were addressed, and only one-fifth reported that their goals had been fully met. The data also indicated that the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of occupational therapists with regard to working with parents with disability can be improved. Findings suggest a need to better incorporate parenting occupations in standard occupational therapy training to increase occupational therapists' comfort and competence in working with clients on parenting issues., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Anne Honey et al.)

David Wagenfeld, an artist and resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan, provided the cover art for the Summer 2024 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Word Fusion” is a piece made from ink on paper that uses words to depict an image of a person walking through an environment. The image is rooted to the ground in love, joy, calmness, and peace. The person is one with themselves and their spirituality with arms portraying presence, joy, and serenity. David shares his experience of self-discovery and understanding of the beautiful dance between art and spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioral disturbance impacts almost 50% of people living with acquired brain injury (ABI) and severely impedes occupational participation. Occupational therapists are appropriately qualified and well placed to address behavioral disturbance. This scoping review analyzes the literature to ascertain approaches used by occupational therapists to treat behavioral disturbance. Method: A literature search of three databases revealed 379 papers for consideration, five of which met inclusion criteria. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists were used for the analysis. This paper employs the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework. Results: Sensory modulation interventions, community-based interventions, behavior therapy, and neurofunctional activity of daily living (ADL) retraining were identified as approaches that could be used by occupational therapists to promote participation for people living with behavioral disturbance after an ABI. Conclusion: According to current occupational therapy literature, evidenced-based behavioral interventions to enable participation for almost half of people living with an ABI are lacking. To promote the occupational therapy role in this area of rehabilitation, further empirical research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an in-depth study and analysis of the relevance of early childhood education to occupational psychotherapy using a virtual-assisted affective interaction approach. Starting from the educational theory of interactive cognitive psychology, the theoretical basis for parent-child picture book education for interactive learning is explored, as well as the theoretical development after the introduction of AR technology. Firstly, the analysis of young children's emotions involves massive image processing, and the use of cloud computing architecture leads to high latency, while young children's safety is a latency-sensitive service. Secondly, face recognition accuracy based on static images is not high due to problems such as inconspicuous facial features of toddlers and low-quality kindergarten surveillance videos. In this paper, a face identity correction model based on location features is proposed and the superiority of the model is demonstrated through experiments. Finally, this paper analyzes and mines the emotional data of young children. The level of kindergarten teachers' awareness of early childhood mental health education generally showed an upward trend as their titles rose, and there were significant differences in the seven dimensions of early childhood mental health, the purpose and meaning of early childhood mental health education, implementers, targets, content, pathways, and effects; significant differences existed between teachers of different kindergarten natures, and there were significant differences in the purpose and meaning of early childhood mental health education, implementers, targets, content, pathways, effects, and mental health education for young children. Therefore, this paper proposes a face identity correction model based on position information, which considers both the correlation between pixel values in the spatial domain and the correlation between frames in the temporal domain. This paper has developed an emotion analysis system for kindergartens and put it into use in kindergartens to meet the needs of monitoring the safety of young children and evaluating early childhood education and has received good feedback from users, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the National Crime Records Bureau (2014), traumatic brain injury (TBI) is increasingly being recognized as a public health problem of immense proportions with the substantial burden of disability and death occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Many people with TBI experience various degrees of motor function impairment which can have a significant impact on participation in all the areas of occupation. There is a dearth of evidence-based occupational therapy (OT)-specific motor intervention. Moreover, it is necessary to be aware of the current literature available on OT interventions to support recovery of patients with TBI. Objective: To describe the recent trends in OT-specific motor interventions for adults with TBI. Study Design: A scoping review was employed for this study. Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage framework for scoping reviews guided our study. A search was conducted in various databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature–CINAHL for papers published between 2016 and 2021. The search strategy was developed based on the concepts and keywords used in the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study design framework. Numerical and thematic analyses were employed. Results: Of the 35 articles identified in the review process, 13 papers were included in the scoping review. On performing analyses, 6 major themes were identified which were as follows: (1) The centrality of occupation (top-down approach), (2) Should bottom-up approach be used? When? (3) Contemporary approaches to intervention, (4) Traditional approaches to intervention, (5) Outcome measures for motor intervention, and (6) Futuristic intervention concepts and opportunities. Conclusion: Several recent trends in OT-specific to motor intervention have emerged in the yesteryears which may be considered for integration into practice with TBI survivors. Whilst there have been some advancements in TBI literature including "occupation" in the limelight, multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary collaboration and several contemporary approaches with unique and new concepts, there are still undeniable challenges to the practicing occupational therapists with regard to understanding its implementation, limited evidence, and equivocacy of its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isaacs' syndrome, also known as Acquired Neuromyotonia, is a rare condition caused by continuous firing of the motor units, leading to twitching muscles and cramping that will persist even during sleep. The medical treatment of Isaacs' syndrome is nondescript and arbitrary. Because of the rare incidence of the disorder, very few studies have been conducted to help determine the appropriate intervention for individuals with this affliction. This paper is a narrative case-study that offers a first-person account of a physical therapist with Isaacs' syndrome and her journey through rehabilitation with her occupational therapist. The progress of this individual over time supports the use of occupational therapy services at every stage of her rehabilitation. It also supports the strength of participation and positive social interaction as tools to propel an individual through the rehabilitative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the modeling of a computer-aided piano music automatic notation algorithm, combines the influence of music on psychological detachment, and designs the piano music automatic notation algorithm in psychological detachment model construction. This paper investigates the multiresolution time-frequency representation constant Q-transform (CQT), which is common in music signal analysis, and finds that although CQT has higher frequency resolution at low frequencies, it also leads to lower temporal resolution. The variable Q-transform is introduced as a tool for multibasic frequency estimation of the time-frequency representation of music signals, which has better temporal resolution than CQT at the exact frequency resolution and efficient coefficient calculation. The short-time Fourier transform and constant Q-transform time-frequency analysis methods are implemented, respectively, and note onset detection and multibasic tone detection are implemented based on CNN models. The network structure, training method, and postprocessing method of CNN are optimized. This paper proposes a temporal structure model for maintaining music coherence to avoid manual input and ensure interdependence between tracks in music generation. This paper also investigates and implements a method for generating discrete music events based on multiple channels, including a multitrack correlation model and a discretization process. In this paper, the automatic piano music notation algorithm can play an influential role in significantly enhancing the actual effect of psychological detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caroline Hyland, an illustrator and former occupational therapist based in Dublin, Ireland, provided the cover art for the Winter 2023 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). "Can You See What I See?" is an acrylic painting on black textured paper. The piece was inspired by Caroline's grandmother Kathleen Duhig, her love of flowers, and the song "The Dutchman." Kathleen and three of her sisters lived with dementia. This painting, and several others, are featured in a book Caroline wrote to support living well with dementia. By combining her artistic talents and training as an occupational therapist, Caroline advocates for a society that sees people first, not the disease, dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transforming occupational therapy (OT) practices and services to be more inclusive and political so that everyone has an opportunity to engage with meaningful occupations to advance their health and wellbeing is critical. An occupational justice framework locates occupations in a socio-cultural-historical context influencing the community or person's choice and participation. Communities marginalized due to socio-cultural-historical context struggle with participating in preferred occupations, which in turn affects their well-being and sense of self. Patriarchy, Gender binarism, Heteronormativity, Ableism, Casteism, and Classism are some dominant systems of oppression that affect how communities and people choose and participate in occupations. As occupational therapists and researchers, it becomes imperative to understand the experience of marginalized communities to contextualize interventions and evaluations to address the cultural practices of oppression. Objective: To understand how marginalized identity locations are represented in the Indian Journal of OT (IJOT). Study Design: A scoping review. Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's methodology was used to review research papers published in the IJOT from January 2012 to April 2022. Results: Disabled people have been the most represented in the last decade. Women's experiences are represented as lesser than that of men. Within studies focusing on disabilities, men's experiences are represented more than women's. There are two papers in the last decade that focus on Adivasi people. Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Bisexual, and Asexual + communities are absent from OT research in the IJOT. Dalits and Bahujans are also absent from research. Few studies use the person-centered model of intervention by partnering with clients, whereas most studies use a medical model where the therapist is the only expert. Conclusion: In this study, we derive three themes to explore possible explanations on why marginalized communities are underrepresented. These themes of "unconscious bias," "history repeats itself" and "medical model of research" help us understand factors we need to reflect on as OT researchers and therapists as we engage with communities and people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational therapy is a profession with origins rooted in Western values. As culture plays an important role in shaping theory and practice, the curriculum design of academic programs that train future rehabilitation professionals should reflect the local context. As part of an international partnership, a dual-degree graduate program in occupational therapy was established between a Chinese and an American university. A team composed of members from both institutions collaborated on culturally adapting an entry-level master's program in occupational therapy for China, based on a U.S. program, which welcomed its first cohort in September 2019. This article details the timeline and process of program design and adaptation from conception, through implementation to evaluation and revision, with the aim of offering a framework for curriculum adaptation of other academic programs in the U.S. and internationally. The adapted curriculum includes the program mission, vision, and philosophy; the curriculum model with program outcomes and threads; the program scope and sequence; materials and resources; and course-specific objectives, learning activities, and assessments. The authors also share lessons learned through this experience of international collaboration as well as next steps for program evaluation and sustainability. The detailed overview of this international collaboration offers suggestions for individuals and institutions seeking to develop global partnerships and adapt curricula across cultural contexts., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Julie McLaughlin Gray et al.)

Occupational therapists have long been involved in assistive technology (AT) provision worldwide. AT is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to enhance functioning, independence, and autonomy and ultimately promote well-being for people living with disabilities. With the digitalisation of societies, the everyday lives and occupations of individuals are changing, becoming more reliant on digital solutions. The development of digital assistive technology (DAT) also offers opportunities for people with disabilities to access, interact, and pilot the digital world. However, we do not know how occupational therapists are involved in DAT provision worldwide. A survey was conducted in the global occupational therapist's community in June 2022 to describe DAT provision and the factors influencing it. Occupational therapy practitioners were included ( n = 660) in the analysis. In DAT provision, occupational therapists mostly provide advice to people, assess their needs, provide instruction or training, prescribe DAT, and fit DAT to people and their environment. The clients served through DAT provision are most frequently people with neurological impairments, chronic illnesses, sensory impairments, and older people. The reasons for providing DAT focus on education, work, school, and leisure. It is expected that DAT provision will enhance independence, self-esteem, occupational participation, and social relationships. Issues faced by occupational therapists when providing DAT are costs of product and funding schemes, sufficient knowledge, and access to knowledge sources. Survey respondents are mostly from Western countries with access to the Internet and the digital world, including having digital literacy, highlighting the digital divide that exists between world regions and countries, but also within countries worldwide. There is a need to continue research to better understand the issues related to digitalisation and the digital participation of people living with disabilities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Isabel Margot-Cattin et al.)

Background: The world population is ageing rapidly. Rehabilitation is one of the most effective health strategies for improving the health and functioning of older persons. An understanding of the current provision of rehabilitation services in primary care (PC) is needed to optimise access to rehabilitation for an ageing population. The objectives of this scoping review are a) to describe how rehabilitation services are currently offered in PC to older persons, and b) to explore age-related differences in the type of rehabilitation services provided., Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of a scoping review examining rehabilitation models for older persons, with a focus on PC. Medline and Embase (2015-2022) were searched to identify studies published in English on rehabilitation services for people aged 50 + . Two authors independently screened records and extracted data using the World Health Organization (WHO)'s operational framework, the Primary Health Care Systems (PRIMASYS) approach and the WHO paper on rehabilitation in PC. Data synthesis included quantitative and qualitative analysis., Results: We synthesised data from 96 studies, 88.6% conducted in high-income countries (HICs), with 31,956 participants and identified five models for delivering rehabilitation to older persons in PC: community, home, telerehabilitation, outpatient and eldercare. Nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists were the most common providers, with task-shifting reported in 15.6% of studies. The most common interventions were assessment of functioning, rehabilitation coordination, therapeutic exercise, psychological interventions, and self-management education. Environmental adaptations and assistive technology were rarely reported., Conclusions: We described how rehabilitation services are currently provided in PC and explored age-related differences in the type of rehabilitation services received. PC can play a key role in assessing functioning and coordinating the rehabilitation process and is also well-placed to deliver rehabilitation interventions. By understanding models of rehabilitation service delivery in PC, stakeholders can work towards developing more comprehensive and accessible services that meet the diverse needs of an ageing population. Our findings, which highlight the role of rehabilitation in healthy ageing, are a valuable resource for informing policy, practice and future research in the context of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, the Rehab2030 initiative and the recently adopted WHA resolution on strengthening rehabilitation in health systems, but the conclusions can only be applied to HICs and more studies are needed that reflect the reality in low- and middle-income countries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The occupational therapy intervention programme ABLE 1.0 was designed to enhance the ability to perform activities of daily living in persons living with chronic conditions. There is a need to determine if content and delivery of the ABLE 1.0 are acceptable among occupational therapists (OTs) and clients after having delivered or received the programme, respectively., Objectives: The paper reports on evaluation of content and delivery of the ABLE 1.0 among OTs and clients. This, in terms of acceptability of intervention in principle, and perceived value, benefits, harms, or unintended consequences of the intervention., Material and Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with OTs having delivered and clients having received ABLE 1.0 in a Danish municipality. Content analysis was performed., Findings: Two OTs and three clients participated. Analyses revealed six categories related to content and delivery; 'Overall perception of the programme'; 'Potential for implementation'; 'Evaluation, goal setting and clarification of reasons for ADL task performance problems'; 'Intervention: compensatory solutions'; 'Format and duration' and 'Preconditions for delivery'., Conclusions and Significance: The findings provided valuable information used for further development of the ABLE programme.

Background: Within and beyond occupation-based scholarship, concerns abound regarding the pervasiveness of discourses that promote a negative, deficit-based view of intellectual disability and associated consequences for disabled people's lives. Such representations risk reducing the complexities of human doing and being and can limit the occupational possibilities of this group. Yet, there is a lack of critically reflexive research exploring how disability is discursively constructed in occupation-based literature., Aims/objectives: This paper critically analyses representations of intellectual disability within occupation-based literature. It considers the influence of such representations on the occupational possibilities of people labelled intellectually disabled., Methods: This review employed a critical interpretive synthesis of 21 peer-reviewed articles from occupational therapy and occupational science that focused on intellectual disability., Results: Three analytic threads were identified as contributing to how intellectual disability was represented across the reviewed literature: habilitating expected doings , becoming productive citizens , and activated, but insufficient ., Conclusion & Significance: Occupation-based discourses have powerful influence within society, particularly within occupational therapy, regarding understandings of intellectual disability and how these shape occupational possibilities for persons labelled intellectually disabled. Drawing attention to taken-for-granted representations of intellectual disability is essential to promote transformative occupational therapy practice and enhance occupational possibilities for this population.

Introduction: Individuals with Parkinson's Disease commonly experience both physical and psychological effects, which subsequently affect their ability to perform daily activities and overall wellbeing. MusicGlove is an emerging adjunct proposed to address the motor issues but also the psychological ones with references to improving motivation and participation in individuals with Parkinson's Disease. Aim: To determine the effectiveness of the MusicGlove on hand dexterity and the psychological response in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed on 40 individuals with Parkinson disease January 2021 to June 2021 from local community settings in Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. They were recruited and divided into a control group (n=20) and experimental group (n=20). Hand dexterity and psychological responses were assessed using the Box and Block Test (BBT), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), and Apathy Inventory (AI) as pre and post-test measures. Both groups received conventional occupational therapy for three weeks in total, and in addition to this, the experimental group received the MusicGlove. The control group included muscle stretching and strengthening activities with therapeutic putty and using activities such as connecting circles where the subject is given a sheet of paper with 25 circles, each containing 25 numbers or letters. They were asked to connect these in ascending, alternating numerical, and alphabetical order. Sessions were conducted for 30 minutes with two sets of repetitions. Descriptive statistics were used to examine data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. Results: The study results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference found between the groups but clinically significant differences were found between the groups with posttest scores on motor symptoms that were measured by BBT: µ=- 1.2534, p=0.211 (BBT Dominant); µ=-0.9400, p-value=0.3472 (BBT Non Dominant), and psychological symptoms that were measured by BDI; (µ=-1.0445, p-value=0.2983) and AI; (µ=- 1.0445, p-value=0.9203). Conclusion: The study concluded that conventional occupational therapy along with MusicGlove was effective in improving hand dexterity and psychological responses in Parkinson's disease patients. Also, further study needs to be conducted to warrant its long-term impact of intervention on hand dexterity and psychological responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equity and inclusion are critical factors in ensuring that mothers of young children are able to participate fully in occupational therapy academia. Mothers of young children often face significant barriers that prevent them from fully engaging in academic pursuits, including lack of access to childcare, limited support structures, and societal expectations regarding gender roles and caregiving responsibilities. This opinion paper reviews strategies for academics at various levels within academia to promote equity and inclusion for these individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The implementation of early rehabilitation programs based on evidence to improve the movement abilities of preterm infants is of particular importance. The evidence about rehabilitation interventions in improving the motor development of preterm infants is diverse and scattered and there is heterogeneity in the type, dose and time of therapeutic interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this review study is to identify the types of rehabilitation interventions (occupational therapy and physiotherapy) in improving the motor skills of infants hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Materials & Methods This is a scoping review study. Research studies and indexed in scientific databases including were available in PubMed/Web of Science/Scopus or retrieved by Google Scholar search engine were searched and reviewed. Inclusion criteria included the report of studies in English and Persian papers published from 2000 to 2023 that were mainly focused and the main subject of early rehabilitation intervention studies (occupational therapy and physiotherapy) on the development of neuromotor skills of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. After selecting the keywords and organized search, the found articles were matched with the entry criteria and finally considered studies were selected. Results Among the reviewed studies, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the available studies, 7 studies related to multi-modal interventions and 2 studies related to multi-sensory intervention .2 studies related to neuro-developmental interventions. 2 studies related to interventions implemented by parents--administered. 2 studies related to interventions supporting play exploration and early developmental intervention. Conclusion Based on the findings of this research and the meetings held with experts in this field, we were able to organize early rehabilitation interventions for motor skills of preterm infants in 4 groups: 1) multimodal and multisensory interventions 2) neurodevelopmental interventions 3) parentsadministered interventions 4) supporting play exploration and early developmental intervention to categorize. In this way, all types of therapeutic interventions in improving motor skills of infants were identified. Most of the studies included interventions that were performed in a short period of time and reported short-term effects on motor improvement. Only the supportive play exploration intervention continued after discharge and bridged the gap of early NICU-to-home interventions and reported improved motor development in the short- and long-term (6, 12 months). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Case study research is generating interest to evaluate complex interventions. However, it is not clear how this is being utilized by occupational therapists or how feasible it is to contribute to the evidence base. This scoping review explores case study research within occupational therapy in terms of how it is defined, the methodological characteristics adopted, such as data collection and analysis, and the range of practice contexts in which it is applied. We consider the viability of case study research for contributing to our evidence base. Methods: Opinion, text and empirical studies within an occupational therapy practice context were included. A three-step extensive search following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was conducted in June 2020 and updated in July 2021 across ten databases, websites, peer-reviewed and grey literature from 2016 onwards. Study selection was completed by two independent reviewers. A data extraction table was developed and piloted and data charted to align with research questions. Data extraction was completed by one reviewer and a 10% sample cross checked by another. Results: Eighty-eight studies were included in the review consisting of (n = 84) empirical case study and (n = 4) non-empirical papers. Case study research has been conducted globally, with a range of populations across different settings. The majority were conducted in a community setting (n = 48/84; 57%) with populations experiencing neurodevelopmental disorder (n = 32/84; 38%), stroke (n = 14/84;17%) and non-diagnosis specific (n = 13/84; 15%). Methodologies adopted quantitative (n = 42/84; 50%), mixed methods (n = 22/84; 26%) and qualitative designs (n = 20/84; 24%). However, identifying the methodology and 'case' was a challenge due to methodological inconsistencies. Conclusions: Case study research is useful when large-scale inquiry is not appropriate; for cases of complexity, early intervention efficacy, theory testing or when small participant numbers are available. It appears a viable methodology to contribute to the evidence base for occupation and health as it has been used to evaluate interventions across a breadth of occupational therapy practice contexts. Viability could be enhanced through consistent conduct and reporting to allow pooling of case data. A conceptual model and description of case study research in occupational therapy is proposed to support this. Systematic review registration: Open Science Framework 10.17605/OSF.IO/PCFJ6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an in-depth study of occupational therapy and the prevention of common sports injuries in special physical training. The issue of sports injuries and rehabilitation has always been a hot topic in special training. With the continuous development of sports, the increasing intensity of competition, and more stringent requirements for special techniques, the increase in difficulty and intensity of training has led to the increasing frequency of sports injuries, so how to prevent injuries in special physical training and rehabilitation and recovery of athletes after the injury is particularly important. Since the most common musculoskeletal injuries occur in the lower quadrant, this paper proposes a lower extremity functional test (LEFT) model as a means of identifying injury risk and guiding the implementation of training programs to prevent sports injuries. In this paper, a knee injury is used as an example, and an occupational therapy program of TCM physical therapy + aquatic rehabilitation is adopted for the already occurred sports injuries. Through interviews and clinical examinations of athletes, coaches, and medical personnel, this paper summarizes the sites, types, characteristics, and probability of occurrence of common sports injuries in special physical training. Experiments were conducted through clinical rehabilitation of common sports injuries with the addition of TCM manual massage. A series of effects of this modality on the rehabilitation of sports injuries were examined by monitoring physiological and biochemical indexes and by comparative analysis before and after testing physical function indexes using the Omega Wave system. Sports injuries are diverse. Traditional Chinese medicine physical therapy + water rehabilitation therapy is an effective physical therapy method. According to the relevant theories of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, diagnosis and treatment through meridians and related acupuncture points have significant curative effects. Traditional Chinese medicine, massage, and acupuncture have irreplaceable roles in the rehabilitation and treatment of sports injuries and can effectively improve and cure sports injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the usability of public play spaces for children with disabilities by exploring their experiences in accessing and using these spaces and to further discuss recommendations for designing such spaces that are usable for these children., Methods: A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed to explore the experience of children with disabilities regarding the public play spaces. Seven children and their caregivers from two inclusive elementary schools in Central Java Province, Indonesia, participated in the study. Online semistructured interviews with the children were held using Zoom, followed by telephonic interviews with their parents. In addition, video recordings of the observation of the children's participation in the play spaces were gathered. The interview and video observation data were analyzed using van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology thematic analysis method., Results: Five themes arose regarding the experiences of children with disabilities of accessing and using the public play spaces: (1) where time appeared to speed up, (2) "I like the tall one … I like extreme," (3) fostering connectedness, (4) the need for a safe space, and (5) how a play space should be., Conclusion: The public play spaces have meaningful values for the children with disabilities and their family, as they offered the opportunities to play, explore, interact with friends and families, enjoy nature, interact with animals, and learn. However, it is essential to provide a safe space in which children are free from physical and emotional harm, so that they can fully participate with confidence and a sense of autonomy. Nevertheless, it was also found that children, regardless of their abilities, craved risky and challenging play opportunities. This study also highlights the necessity of awareness-raising intervention programs to foster the inclusion of children with disabilities in public play space settings., Competing Interests: The authors declare the absence of any conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Asma Nidaul Haq et al.)

Background: Research has shown that pressure in the vaginal birth process aids the infant's neurophysiological adaption to extrauterine life, including their ability to regulate their responses to diverse sensory stimuli. As pressure is absent in elective caesarean section births, we hypothesised that these children may be at higher risk for developing sensory hyperreactivity (SHR), a sensory modulation difficulty which negatively impacts on the child's engagement in their occupations. This paper reports on a study which investigated associations between birth method and SHR., Method: In this cross-sectional study, 91 children aged three and four years from various language, cultural, and socioeconomic groups were recruited and categorised based on birth method (caesarean section or vaginal birth). Caregivers of each child completed the Short Sensory Profile-2 and a demographic questionnaire. The prevalence of SHR between the birth method groups was compared., Results: The prevalence of SHR was greater in the vaginal birth group (29%) than the caesarean section group (9%). Mothers in the vaginal birth group were younger ( p ≤ 0.001), of lower-income level ( p = 0.003), and more likely to be single ( p = 0.037). During data collection with the vaginal birth group, comprehensibility of certain items in the Short Sensory Profile-2 proved challenging for many caregivers., Conclusion: The statistically significant higher prevalence of SHR in the vaginal birth group supported a null hypothesis. However, the results are questioned due to the challenges related to data collection. Given this, the study supports the need for further investigation of how sociocultural and socioeconomic factors influence the assessment of SHR in the South African context., Competing Interests: We have no conflict of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Ann Frances Watkyns et al.)