Occupational changes during the COVID-19 lockdown in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 have disrupted the lives of countless millions of individuals worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of occupational disruption and changing social roles among Jordanians during COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The specific aim was to explore the changing occupations, routines, roles and coping strategies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This qualitative study used a digital ethnographic approach. Data collection included online observations of Jordanian's posts of comments, photos and videos on six public Facebook pages during the COVID-19 lockdown for the initial 3-week period. In addition, 150 Jordanians participated in an online interview answering four open-ended questions to achieve triangulation. Qualitative analyses included open coding of the photos, videos and text as well as the interviews independently and blindly by the research team. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: changing daily occupations; changing family roles; missing pre-lockdown life and coping strategies under lockdown. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 lockdown restrictions caused direct, significant and immediate changes to Jordanians' occupations, routines and roles; enforcing new obligatory occupations and eliminating desired ones. SIGNIFICANCE: Knowledge from this study highlight the kinds of strategies and supports during and after lockdowns that need to be considered in future planning of occupational therapy practice in Jordan.

The evolving practice of developmental care in the neonatal unit: a systematic review.

Many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are experiencing changes in their approaches to preterm infant care as they consider and incorporate the philosophy of individualized developmental care. The aim of this systematic review is to research current literature documenting the short-term effects of developmental care and the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). The following databases were reviewed: PubMED, CINAHL, and PsychINFO by using the keywords developmental care, individualized care, preterm infant, early intervention, and NIDCAP. Fifty-four articles were found with a total of 15 matching the selection criteria. All 15 articles were assessed using a research design developed by the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM). Twelve of the 15 articles contained strong Levels of Evidence (I or II). Our findings suggest evidence supporting developmental care and NIDCAP, however, further research documenting outcomes for preterm infants receiving developmental care and/or NIDCAP is needed.

Mealtime behaviors of preschool children: comparison of children with autism spectrum disorder and children with typical development.

This study identified mealtime behaviors of young children (3-6 years old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compared these behaviors to children with typical development matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. The parents of children with ASD (n = 24) and children with typical development (n = 24) completed a mealtime survey to assess early mealtime history, mealtime location and behaviors, food preferences and behaviors, and eating problems. Parental concerns increased significantly after age 1 year in the children with ASD. Matched analysis results showed significant differences between the pairs of children in specific mealtime behaviors. More children with ASD were picky eaters, mouthed nonfood items, resisted new foods, limited foods based on textures, had problems with gagging, had difficulty eating at regular restaurants or at school, resisted sitting at the table, and threw or dumped food. Knowledge of these early differences can help pediatric therapists to assess feeding issues and plan interventions.

The factors associated with community participation: Employment and education of people with disabilities in Turkey.

Background: People with disabilities are facing not just health problems; they also experience restriction of participation due to various barriers. However, there is limited knowledge of which factors can be important to their community participation.Aim: This study investigated the factors that are associated with community participation of people with disabilities.Methods: A sample of 270 people with disabilities (aged range 18-55 years) recruited randomly through the "Turkish People with Disabilities Association". This study, followed a survey design, took place in 15 cities in Turkey and a city of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ), Functional Independence Measure, Measure of Quality of the Environment, Leisure Satisfaction Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Short-Form-12 were used. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship of the dependent variable (CIQ) with the factors.Results: The results indicated that the community participation was importantly associated with employment and educational status, functional level, quality of life and satisfaction from leisure activities (p < 0.05). Wheelchair users' participation level was lower than that of the other mobility groups (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The study provides a rich description of the multifaced nature of participation and its association with the factors such as employment, education, and leisure. Moreover, in terms of these factors and community participation, wheelchair users were the most disadvantaged group of people with disabilities at different mobility level.

A review of curanderismo and healing practices among Mexicans and Mexican Americans.

Occupational therapists working with Mexican and Mexican American populations may encounter traditional healing practices associated with curanderismo within a variety of practice settings. Curanderismo is a term referring to the practice of traditional healing in Latin American (Hispanic) cultures. This article reviews from the literature the different types of traditional healers (curanderos/as), the remedies recommended by traditional healers and common traditional illnesses treated. Traditional healing practices among Mexican and Mexican Americans may be as high as 50-75% in some parts of the United States. Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of curanderismo and its impact on quality of life, activities of daily living and overall social participation.

Dietary intake and parents' perception of mealtime behaviors in preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder and in typically developing children.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently report that their children have selective eating behaviors and refuse many foods, which could result in inadequate nutrient intake. This preliminary cross-sectional descriptive study investigated dietary intake and parents' reported perception of food behaviors of 20 3- to 5-year-old children with ASD. Twenty typically developing children matched for sex, age, and ethnicity were also studied as a case-control comparison. Nutrient intake determined from 3-day food records was adjusted for day-to-day variation to determine the estimate of usual intake distribution for the two groups. This distribution was compared with the Estimated Average Requirement or Adequate Intake recommendations. The reported food behaviors and use of vitamin or mineral supplements were compared for matched pairs using the exact McNemar test. Nutrient intake was similar for both groups of children, with the majority of children consuming more than the recommended amounts for most nutrients. Nutrients least likely to be consumed in recommended amounts were vitamin A, vitamin E, fiber, and calcium. Children with ASD were more likely to consume vitamin/mineral supplements than typically developing children. Compared with parents of typically developing children, parents of children with ASD were more likely to report that their children were picky eaters and resisted trying new foods, and they were less likely to describe their children as healthy eaters or that they eat a variety of foods. Despite the similar and generally adequate nutrient intake for the 40 children in this study, parents of children with ASD had more negative perceptions of their children's dietary behaviors.

Veterans transitioning from isolation to integration: a look at veteran/service dog partnerships.

BACKGROUND: This study explored the dynamics of veteran/service dog partnerships by gathering the perspectives of veterans with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Exploratory qualitative methods (focus groups and individual interviews) were used to investigate veteran/service dog relationships related to community involvement, family and friend relationships, self-care, work, and leisure. Nine male veterans, Paws, and Stripes program graduates participated. Data were audio recorded and transcribed by two research team members who used qualitative analytic software to manage and code the data. The full research team discussed themes and reached consensus on the themes that emerged from analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged about the perceived benefit of veteran/service dog relationship: Secluded but Seeking Society (moving from isolation to reconnection); Opening Opportunities (navigating daily life); Bridging the Gap (facilitating social opportunities); and Reclaiming Life (transforming sense of worth and purpose). An overarching theme, Calming Catalyst, connected the other four themes. CONCLUSIONS: Veterans in this study reported that their goal was to reclaim and develop key aspects of their lives and they perceived service dogs as a support in their transition from isolation to reintegration. This study found that service dogs supported the veterans to meet their goal. Implications for rehabilitation There are a significant number of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury who are facing life challenges including self-care, securing work, participating in leisure activities, and integrating into the community. Service dogs are an emerging intervention used to assist veterans with reintegration into civilian life. There is a need for professionals to be aware of potential benefits of service dog/veteran partnerships. Based on our findings, veterans could benefit from being paired with a service dog to facilitate their successful return to community life.

Time use of mothers with school-age children: a continuing impact of a child's disability.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the time use of mothers of children with disabilities with the time use of mothers of children without disabilities. METHOD: Sixty mothers with children 3 to 14 years of age (30 mothers with children with disabilities and 30 mothers with children without disabilities) completed time diaries over seven 24-hour days. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the two groups when comparing mean hours spent per week by mothers in occupations involving child-care activities and recreational activities. Mothers of children with disabilities spent significantly more time in child-care activities and significantly less time in recreational activities. In addition, mothers of children with disabilities reported fewer typical days and rated the quality of days as poorer. As children got older, the gap between the time mothers devoted to child care increased between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The type of occupations a mother participates in varies significantly dependent upon whether a child in the family has a disability and the age of the child. Professionals need to work collaboratively with families to assist parents to meet the family's daily needs particularly in light of the time demands of the mother.

Occupational goals of mothers of children with disabilities: influence of temporal, social, and emotional contexts.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the occupational concerns and goals of mothers who care for children with disabilities. METHOD: Retrospective data collected from 38 mothers of children with disabilities using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: (I) doing and being alone: taking care of my own health and well-being; (II) doing and being with others: expanding my social life; (III) improving my child's quality of life; (IV) household management: organizing time and resources; (V) balancing work, home, and community responsibilities; and (VI) sharing the workload. CONCLUSION: Overarching patterns in the data suggested that the occupational performance of mothers of children with disabilities is constrained by time, overlaid by difficult emotions, and involves a desire for increased social contact. Qualitative analysis of data from the COPM may provide insight into contextual factors that affect occupational performance as well as signaling point of entry for therapists to facilitate client-centered occupational goals.

Outcomes of an occupational therapy program for mothers of children with disabilities: impact on satisfaction with time use and occupational performance.

OBJECTIVE: This experimental research study evaluated the impact of an 8-week psychosocial occupational therapy intervention program for mothers who have children with disabilities. METHOD: Thirty-eight mothers of children with disabilities were randomly assigned to participate either in the treatment or the control group (19 in each). The occupational therapy intervention was designed to facilitate increased perceptions of satisfaction with time use and occupational performance, thereby positively affecting maternal and family well-being. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was administered to measure self-perceptions of occupational performance and satisfaction over time. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups on time use perceptions. Although no significant differences were found between the two groups on the COPM Performance subscale, the treatment group demonstrated significantly greater score increases (p < .05) on the COPM Satisfaction subscale. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study suggests that attending to the time use and occupational concerns of mothers of children with disabilities can have a positive impact on their satisfaction with occupational performance.

Clinical Applications of the Standard Error of Measurement for Occupational and Phsical Therapists.

Standardized pediatric testing is a common tool used to gather information is the assessment process for occupational and physical therapists. A description of the application of the standard error of measurement (SEM) for interpretation of children's scores from standardized norm- referenced tests is given. Three case examples are presented to demonstrate the use of the SEM and its impact on children's test scores when therapist are making critical clinical decisions. Recommendations for therapist related to interpreting standardized testing, reporting test scores, and measuring intervention progress are included.

Effects of partnerships between people with mobility challenges and service dogs.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of partnerships between people with disabilities and service dogs on functional performance and social interaction. METHOD. A single-subject, alternating treatment design was used. The participants were 3 women with mobility challenges who owned service dogs. For each participant, time and perceived amount of effort for two tasks were measured for functional performance. Interaction and satisfaction levels were measured for social interactions. RESULTS. Primary findings were that service dog partnerships decreased performance time for four of the six tasks, decreased effort for five of the six tasks, increased social interactions for 2 of the participants, and increased levels of satisfaction with social interactions for all participants. CONCLUSION. For adult women with mobility challenges, service dog partnerships may contribute to energy conservation through decreased time and effort required to complete some tasks and may increase social interactions.

Service dogs and people with physical disabilities partnerships: a systematic review.

Occupational therapists have recognized the benefits that service dogs can provide people with disabilities. There are many anecdotal publications extolling the benefits of working with service dogs, but few rigorous studies exist to provide the evidence of the usefulness of this type of assistive technology option. This systematic review evaluates the published research that supports the use of service dogs for people with mobility-related physical disabilities. Articles were identified by computerized search of PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, OT Seeker, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, SportDiscus, Education Research Complete, Public Administration Abstracts, Web of Knowledge and Academic Search Premier databases with no date range specified. The keywords used in the search included disabled persons, assistance dogs or service dogs and mobility impairments. The reference lists of the research papers were checked as was the personal citation database of the lead author. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and whereas the findings are promising, they are inconclusive and limited because of the level of evidence, which included one Level I, six Level III, four Level IV and one Level V. All of the studies reviewed had research design quality concerns including small participant sizes, poor descriptions of the interventions, outcome measures with minimal psychometrics and lack of power calculations. Findings indicated three major themes including social/participation, functional and psychological outcomes; all of which are areas in the occupational therapy scope of practice. Occupational therapists may play a critical role in referral, assessment, assisting clients and consulting with training organizations before, during and after the service dog placement process. In order for health care professionals to have confidence in recommending this type of assistive technology, the evidence to support such decisions must be strengthened.

A model of mentorship in occupational therapy: the leadership of a. Jean ayres.

Over a period of 30 years, Dr. A. Jean Ayres conducted and disseminated research related to the theory and practice of sensory integration. The Center for the Study of Sensory Integrative Dysfunction was established to promote Ayres' research with 66 faculty members recruited by 1982. To describe how Dr. Ayres may have influenced the occupational therapy profession, a survey was conducted to document the scholarly/leadership productivity of Sensory Integration faculty. Of the 66 faculty members, 48 were located and sent survey packets. The return rate was 79% (n = 38). Respondents documented their productivity in eight categories and answered 18 questions about their leadership qualities. Ninety-seven percent of respondents indicated that Ayres had professionally influenced them. Fifty-one percent of respondents had doctorate degrees with 78% reported having academic teaching experience. This group of 38 professionals had produced 438 peer-reviewed articles, 707 nonpeer-reviewed publications, and 265 grants. Ayres' legacy is continued with the scholarly work of the Sensory Integration faculty who received professional mentorship.

Occupational concerns of women who are homeless and have children: an occupational justice critique.

SUMMARY The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the occupational goals and concerns of women who are homeless with children. Twenty-seven women with children living in homeless shelters completed interviews using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Occupational issues and concerns were identified for each participant, and then they were pooled. A total of 169 occupational concerns were described and analyzed. The most common occupational issues identified by participants concerned finances, employment, education, transportation, housing, time for self, personal appearance, home management, and parenting. Analysis of identified occupational concerns suggests that the homeless women with children experienced a range of institutional and social barriers to occupational participation: essentially a form of occupational injustice. This study raises questions concerning the most effective roles for occupational therapists to facilitate empowerment so that women who are homeless may fully participate in the communities where they live.

Survey of occupational therapy practitioners in southwestern schools: assessments used and preparation of students for school-based practice.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify current practice in assessment use of school-based occupational therapy practitioners and to identify their expectations of student performance in assessment upon completion of the pediatric Fieldwork II experience. A survey of school-based occupational therapists in the southwestern states was conducted to answer three research questions: (1) what standardized assessments are currently used frequently and occasionally by occupational therapy practitioners in the school setting, (2) what level of competency in assessment administration by Fieldwork II students is expected by supervising occupational therapists, and (3) what educational preparation did the practitioners receive prior to their employment in schools and what professional support is currently available to them? METHOD: A five page questionnaire was mailed to 406 practicing therapists in four southwestern states with a response rate of 74.1 percent using Dillman's Total Design Method. RESULTS: Respondents reported use of motor and visual perception tests most frequently in their practice. When trends of this survey were compared to previous surveys, practitioners reported similar use of motor and visual perception tests, a decreased use of sensory integration measures, and an increase in the use of function-based assessments.

Promoting professional reflection through problem-based learning evaluation activities.

SUMMARY To become competent occupational therapy practitioners, students must develop the ability to reflect upon their current and future professional development. This paper presents one curriculum's approach (the University of New Mexico) to using evaluation activities in problem-based learning to enhance students' cultivation of professional reflection skills. A description of these evaluation activities and accompanying tools is provided along with a critique of their strengths and limitations.