Participation-related constructs and participation of children with additional support needs in schools.

AIM: To investigate associations between participation-related constructs and participation frequency and involvement in inclusive schools. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, teachers of children with additional support needs, including intellectual disability, autism, and learning difficulties, completed measures. Participation-related constructs were measured using the School Participation Questionnaire; participation frequency and involvement were measured using the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth. A series of multilevel linear mixed-effects regression models with maximum likelihood estimates and bootstrap confidence intervals with p-values were obtained. Final models included participation-related constructs and participation, controlling for demographic and diagnostic confounders (including age, sex, language, level of school support, and autism). RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-eight children (448 [65.1%] males; mean age 8 years 7 months [range 4 years 10 months-12 years 13 months, standard deviation 2 years 1 months]) were assessed by 252 teachers. Across a series of models, participation-related constructs were consistently associated with more intensive participation (competence, environment, identity p < 0.001; symptoms p = 0.007), independent of confounders. More frequent participation remained associated with three of four participation-related constructs (competence, identity p < 0.001; environment p = 0.021). Age (p = 0.046), language (p = 0.002), and level of school support (p = 0.039) also remained significantly associated with frequency of participation. INTERPRETATION: Children with additional support needs in inclusive schools may have several participation barriers. Policies and interventions to improve participation are needed. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Across a series of models, participation-related constructs were associated with frequency and intensity of participation. Only participation-related constructs were associated with participation intensity. Demographic and diagnostic variables were associated with frequency, not intensity, of participation. Teacher assessment is valid for assessment of participation and participation-related constructs.

Effects of the use of autobiographical photographs on emotional induction in older adults: a systematic review.

There is evidence to support the positive contribution of autobiographical recall based techniques on individuals' quality of life, mood and cognitive functioning. In this review, we analyzed the effects of the use of personal photographs in interventions based on autobiographical memory in older people with and without cognitive impairment. The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. The search was carried out in the electronic databases Web of Sciences (WOS), Medline (PubMed), SCIELO and PsycInfo (American Psychological Association). The articles based on clinical trials selected were evaluated using the PEDRo scale, which is specific to this type of article. Of the 1098 articles initially found, 6 met the inclusion criteria. The final articles focused their intervention on the use of autobiographical photographs as a means of stimulation. The results show that the use of photographs in different autobiographical recall stimulation techniques is associated with higher scores on well-being and quality of life, as well as with improvements in personal identity and cognitive functioning. This suggests that using personal photographs shows promise in enhancing the effect of these types of interventions in healthy or cognitively impaired older adults.

Pain Experiences of People Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Case-Control Studies.

IMPORTANCE: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders and is characterized by compromised social interactions, reduced verbal communication, stereotyped repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and sensory abnormalities. Yet absent from the knowledge base is information about sensory abnormalities related to pain experiences. Exploring the pain experiences of people with ASD may provide occupational therapy practitioners with a baseline to determine areas of need and effective interventions. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of the literature to summarize current evidence from case-control studies comparing sensory abnormalities with regard to pain experiences of people diagnosed and not diagnosed with ASD. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature search of the CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE (PubMed), OTseeker, and Web of Science databases, using MeSH terms and broad keywords. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: A search was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. FINDINGS: A total of 27 case-control studies involving 865 people with ASD and 864 control participants were included. Several methods were used to explore pain experiences, such as threshold detection or pain threshold. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The results indicate that people with ASD may have an abnormal sensory experience with regard to pain sensitivity. Occupational therapy practitioners should develop an intervention to focus on pain. What This Article Adds: This study adds to the body of literature indicating that people with ASD have sensory abnormalities with regard to pain experiences. Results highlight the need for occupational therapy interventions to focus on pain experiences.

The influence of meaningful activities in the quality of life and functional autonomy of adults with intellectual disability: A prospective study during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic might negatively impact the quality of life and functional autonomy of Spanish adults with intellectual disability, and meaningful activities could prevent this negative progression. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study in Spanish adults with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality of life, functional autonomy and functional independence were measured. The meaningful activities studied were structured-leisure, community self-management, and occupational and physical activities. RESULTS: Seventy-three participants were included in the study. Quality of life and functional autonomy significantly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic (all p > .001). Greater participation in community self-management activities before COVID-19 was associated with less detriment to quality of life (ß = -.312; p = .008), while greater participation in occupational and physical activities was associated with less detriment to the performance of instrumental activities (ß = -.317; p = .016; and ß = -.285; p = .030, respectively). CONCLUSION: People with intellectual disability living in residential homes experienced a decrease in their quality of life and functional autonomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their involvement in community self-management activities and physical and occupational activities before the pandemic had preventive effects on the detriment to the quality of life and functional autonomy.

Psychometric properties of the School Participation Questionnaire: Testing a measure of participation-related constructs.

AIM: To explore concurrent validity, convergent validity, interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and Rasch model analysis of the School Participation Questionnaire (SPQ), a tool for teachers to assess personal and environmental determinants of school participation. METHOD: Teachers of children with additional support needs, including intellectual disability, autism, and learning difficulties completed measures. Data were collected using the SPQ and the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY). Test-retest and interrater reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha. Concurrent and convergent validity were explored via correlations with the PEM-CY. Further psychometrics were examined using a Rasch model. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-seven children (136 [72.7%] male; mean age 9y [range 5y 6mo-12y 10mo, SD 2y]) were assessed by 67 teachers. Cronbach's alpha, test-retest, and interrater reliability were acceptable-excellent across each SPQ scale (alphas=0.89, 0.9, 0.94, 0.79; test-retest ICCs=0.64, 0.61, 0.78, 0.62; interrater ICCs=0.85, 0.71, 0.90, 0.81). Concurrent and convergent validity were confirmed with significant positive correlations between SPQ and PEM-CY. After Mokken and Rasch model analysis, person and item reliability were good, and unidimensionality was confirmed. Mean administration time was 8.2 minutes. INTERPRETATION: The results suggest that the SPQ is a rapid, reliable, and valid tool for assessment of participation-related indicators in schools.

Resumption of intercourse, self-reported decline in sexual intercourse and dyspareunia in women by mode of birth: A prospective follow-up study.

AIM: To evaluate the association between mode of birth and the resumption of sexual intercourse, self-reported decline in sexual intercourse and dyspareunia in women at the 6th week and 6th month postpartum. BACKGROUND: Interest in the relationship between mode of birth and postpartum sexual functioning is increasing. However, previous findings are contradictory. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal, observational study. METHOD: The participants comprised 552 healthy primiparous women aged 18-45 years who gave birth at a hospital between February 2013 - April 2014. Interviews were performed at the hospital and via telephone at the 6th week and 6th month postpartum. We constructed multivariate logistic regression models to examine the relationship between mode of birth and resumption of intercourse, self-reported decline in sexual intercourse and dyspareunia at the 6th week and 6th month postpartum. RESULTS: At the 6th week postpartum, forceps-assisted birth, combination of episiotomy plus perineal tear and belonging to a higher socio-economic status were related to a higher risk of non-resumption of sexual intercourse, while breastfeeding was related to a higher probability of dyspareunia. At the 6th month postpartum, the likelihood of self-reported decline in sexual intercourse was higher among women who screened positive for postpartum depression and a higher number of breastfeeding women reported a decline in sexual intercourse and dyspareunia. Furthermore, at the 6th month postpartum, women who reported the use of emergency services for a health problem had a higher risk of not having resumed intercourse and of experiencing dyspareunia.

Ambient Intelligence Environment for Home Cognitive Telerehabilitation.

Higher life expectancy is increasing the number of age-related cognitive impairment cases. It is also relevant, as some authors claim, that physical exercise may be considered as an adjunctive therapy to improve cognition and memory after strokes. Thus, the integration of physical and cognitive therapies could offer potential benefits. In addition, in general these therapies are usually considered boring, so it is important to include some features that improve the motivation of patients. As a result, computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation systems and serious games for health are more and more present. In order to achieve a continuous, efficient and sustainable rehabilitation of patients, they will have to be carried out as part of the rehabilitation in their own home. However, current home systems lack the therapist's presence, and this leads to two major challenges for such systems. First, they need sensors and actuators that compensate for the absence of the therapist's eyes and hands. Second, the system needs to capture and apply the therapist's expertise. With this aim, and based on our previous proposals, we propose an ambient intelligence environment for cognitive rehabilitation at home, combining physical and cognitive activities, by implementing a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) that gathers, as far as possible, the knowledge of a rehabilitation expert. Moreover, smart sensors and actuators will attempt to make up for the absence of the therapist. Furthermore, the proposed system will feature a remote monitoring tool, so that the therapist can supervise the patients' exercises. Finally, an evaluation will be presented where experts in the rehabilitation field showed their satisfaction with the proposed system.

Emotional intelligence, risk perception in abstinent cocaine dependent individuals.

Cocaine is now responsible for the second-highest number of cessation intervention requests. In this study we analyze the different skills of emotional intelligence in cocaine- dependent patients maintaining abstinence. The Mayer- Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) were administered to 50 subjects (25 individuals with no history of drug use and 25 individuals in treatment at the Addictive Behaviors Unit in a state of withdrawal at the time of evaluation). The results showed differences between these groups in overall emotional intelligence quotient, strategic emotional intelligence, understanding emotions and emotional management. Cocaine-addicted participants showed difficulties in analyzing complex emotions and regulating their emotional response, aspects that can interfere with interactions in daily life.

Psychological Discomfort in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) in West Bank: A Cohort Study.

Background/Objetives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant contributor to global morbidity and mortality rates. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a critical intervention for patients with coronary artery disease, yet it poses psychological challenges that can impact recovery. Methods: This prospective cohort study, conducted across six hospitals in the West Bank/Palestine, aimed to assess changes in depression, anxiety, and stress levels among CABG patients and identify associated factors. The Arabic version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) was administered before (one week) and after surgery (two and three weeks). Results: Of the 200 participants, 116 were men (58%). High levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were observed both before and after surgery, with statistically significant reductions in all these variables after surgery (p < 0.001). Regarding demographic factors, age displayed a weak positive correlation with depression (r = 0.283; p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.221; p = 0.002), and stress (r = 0.251; p < 0.001). Sex showed a weak correlation with stress pre-surgery (r = -0.160; p = 0.024). Conclusions: Patient outcomes could be improved by early identification and the provision of efficient treatments such as psychosocial therapy both before and after surgery.

Occupational Balance and Emotional Regulation in People With and Without Serious Mental Illness.

Background. Serious mental illness affects daily functioning, including occupational balance. Purpose. This study aims to compare occupational balance and emotional regulation between people with serious mental illness and the healthy population and to examine the relationship between occupational balance and emotional regulation. Method. A cross-sectional study was performed. Occupational balance and emotional regulation were measured using the Occupational Balance Questionnaire and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, respectively. A multivariate analysis (analysis of covariance) was conducted. Findings. The sample consisted of 112 individuals, divided into two groups: the serious mental illness group (n = 55); and the healthy group (n = 57). People with serious mental illness reported lower occupational balance and lower cognitive reappraisal than the healthy population. Furthermore, the higher cognitive reappraisal, the higher the occupational balance, and the higher the expressive suppression, the lower the occupational balance. Conclusion. The results provide preliminary evidence of the relationship between occupational balance and emotional regulation.

Enhancing Ecological Validity: Virtual Reality Assessment of Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with ADHD.

BACKGROUND: SmartAction-VR uses virtual reality to simulate daily life tasks and assess cognitive performance based on the multi-errand paradigm. This study explored whether this new task could provide insights into the executive functioning of children and adolescents with ADHD in their everyday activities. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and December 2022. It consisted of one session and was divided into two parts (cognitive tests; and SmartAction-VR). The sample comprised 76 children and adolescents with a median age (IQR) of 13 (11-14) years and an age range of 9-17 years. Of these participants, 60.50% (n = 46) were males. Out of this sample, 40 participants were in the ADHD group and 36 were in the neurotypical group. The following instruments were used: Waisman Activities of Daily Living Scale, Assessment of Sensory Processing and Executive Functioning, Pediatric Simulator Disease Questionnaire, Digit span subtest, Stroop test, NEPSY-II Subtest of Auditory Attention and Cognitive Flexibility, Trail Making Test, Zoo Map Test, and SmartAction-VR. RESULTS: The ADHD group demonstrated lower accuracy (U = 406, p = 0.010), higher values for total errors (U = 292, p = 0.001), more commissions (U = 417, p = 0.003), new actions (U = 470, p = 0.014), and forgetting actions (U = 406, p = 0.010), as well as fewer perseverations compared to the neurotypical group (U = 540.5, p = 0.029). Additionally, participants who forgot more actions were found to have lower independence in daily life (r = -0.281, p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The correlations between the results of SmartAction-VR and activities of daily living, as well as cognitive tests, suggest that this new task could be useful for evaluating executive functioning in daily life.

Relationship between engagement in meaningful activities, self-efficacy, and quality of life in healthy young adults: An exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: The use of meaningful activities promotes health and well-being. There is no study with a healthy adult Spanish population that tries to determine how people engage in meaningful activities and the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life. AIMS: This study aimed to 1) confirm the construct validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS) with a healthy population; 2) evaluate the internal consistency of the EMAS for a non-clinical population, and 3) examine convergent validity with self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy) and health-related quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The methodology for construct validation and reliability of health questionnaires was conducted. A total of 177 non-clinical adults participated, between 18 and 60 years old. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed, and Cronbach's alpha was obtained to measure internal consistency for EMAS. A correlation analysis was performed with the other variables of interest: self-efficacy and quality of life. RESULTS: The two-dimensional structure of the EMAS for the non-clinical adult population is confirmed: personal emotional competence versus the social experiential component. In addition, the results indicate a moderate association between engagement in meaningful activities and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: The EMAS is a valid questionnaire to be used in the Spanish adult population.

Usability of a mobile phone application to enhance activities of daily living in occupational therapy services for breast cancer survivors.

Background/Objective: The use of new technologies in rehabilitation to evaluate and improve occupational performance and quality of life is increasing. Technological applications in the health field could help meet the needs of patients, including those of women breast cancer survivors. The main aim of this study was to design a mobile phone application "MAIA" focused on the perceived needs of women who have had breast cancer to achieve optimal performance in their daily lives in a meaningful way. Methods: A cross-sectional usability study using an online questionnaire was designed. Sociodemographic and occupational performance data were collected. System Usability Scale, Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey, Occupational Balance Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand were administered. Descriptive statistics were used to describe categorical (frequencies and percentages) and quantitative variables (mean and standard deviation). Results: The sample was composed of seventy-eight women diagnosed with breast cancer. Nine activities of daily living were affected in more than 20% of women with breast cancer. The most affected were sleep and rest and functional mobility. Conclusions: Women survivors of breast cancer showed difficulties in daily life performance and participation. The MAIA App could be useful as a new online resource in occupational therapy for the rehabilitation of breast cancer survivors.

A Pilot Study of Improving Self-Regulation and Social Interaction with Peers: An "Exciting School".

Social interaction skills are related to successful academic performance and mental health. One of the key elements of socio-emotional competence is self-regulation. The main aim of this study was to analyze the effect of a self-regulation program at a primary school on the social interactions of neurotypical children and children with special educational needs, from the teachers' and parents' perspectives. A pre-post study was conducted. The children (n = 107) followed 10 sessions, each one of 50 min, for ten weeks, between January and April 2021. To assess the changes in children's social interaction, the Peer Social Maturity Scale was administered to the teachers. After the intervention, parents completed a questionnaire designed ad hoc to understand the effectiveness of children's emotional self-regulation. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in peer interaction skills. The families were satisfied with the program, due to the improvement in their children's knowledge about their own emotions and those of the other people, and the learning strategies to regulate their emotions. Likewise, parents indicated that it would be necessary to complement the program with teaching and emotional regulation strategies for them. The "Exciting School" program could help improve the social skills of school-aged children.

Future Challenges in Research in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders exceeds 15% worldwide, and often they are associated with other neurological disorders [...].

A Novel Tool to Assess Basic Activities of Daily Living in Spanish Preschoolers.

BACKGROUND: Basic activities of daily living (BADLs) are those related to self-care. Their performance depends on the development of sensorimotor and cognitive skills, as well as social and environmental aspects. A good performance in BADLs is required for independence and social participation, so they play an important role in early education and early care. We aim to create a tool for BADLs assessment for Spanish preschoolers. METHODS: The tool was administered to 303 participants (48.5% boys and 51.5% girls) between three and six years of age. Analyses to find out the factorial structure and internal consistency was carried out. RESULTS: The instrument was composed of 84 items in four scales (eating, personal hygiene, dressing, and daily functioning) with nine factors (oral sensitivity, good manners, manual dexterity, brushing teeth, toilet management, hygiene and grooming, dressing, higher-order and core executive function). Reliability values were from acceptable to preferred (0.74-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: The instrument could be useful and shows preliminary good indicators in construct validity and reliability.

Play in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Psychometric Properties of a Parent Report Measure 'My Child's Play'.

Play is essential in childhood, allowing for a positive trend in development and learning. Health professionals need useful tools to assess it, especially in the case of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this study was to validate and cross-culturally adapt the My Child's Play questionnaire and to find out if this instrument allows us to differentiate the play of children with neurodevelopmental disorders from the play of children with neurotypical development. A total of 594 parents completed the questionnaire. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, which showed a similar structure to the English version: (1) executive functions; (2) environmental context; (3) play characteristics; and (4) play preferences and interpersonal interactions. The reliability of the analysis was high, both for the whole questionnaire and for the factors it comprises. The results provide evidence of the potential usefulness of the My Child's Play questionnaire for determining play needs and difficulties of children; moreover, this tool can also be used to plan intervention programs according to the needs of each child and family.

Family Caregivers' Experiences with Tele-Rehabilitation for Older Adults with Hip Fracture.

BACKGROUND: There is a knowledge gap for implementing tele-rehabilitation (telerehab) after hip fracture. We recently conducted a clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02968589) to test a novel online family caregiver-supported rehabilitation program for older adults with hip fracture, called @ctivehip. In this qualitative substudy, our objective was to use semi-structured interviews to explore family caregivers experience with the telerehab program. METHODS: Twenty-one family caregivers were interviewed between three and six months after the older adults completed @ctivehip. One occupational therapist with research and clinical experience, but not involved in the main trial, conducted and transcribed the interviews. We conducted a multi-step content analysis, and two authors completed one coding cycle and two recoding cycles. RESULTS: Family caregivers who enrolled in @ctivehip were satisfied with the program, stated it was manageable to use, and perceived benefits for older adults' functional recovery after hip fracture. They also suggested improvements for the program content, such as more variety with exercises, and increased monitoring by health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: This work extends existing literature and generates research hypotheses for future studies to test telerehab content and program implementation.

Activities of Daily Living and Categorization Skills of Elderly with Cognitive Deficit: A Preliminary Study.

Cognitive dysfunction affects the performance of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and the quality of life of people with these deficits and their caregivers. To the knowledge of the authors, to date, there are few studies that focus on knowing the relationship between personal autonomy and deductive reasoning and/or categorization skills, which are necessary for the performance of the ADL. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between ADL and categorization skills in older people. The study included 51 participants: 31 patients with cognitive impairment and 20 without cognitive impairment. Two tests were administered to assess cognitive functions: (1) the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); and (2) the digital version of Riska Object Classification test (ROC-d). In addition, the Routine Tasks Inventory-2 (RTI-2) was applied to determine the level of independence in activities of daily living. People with cognitive impairment performed poorly in categorization tasks with unstructured information (p = 0.006). Also, the results found a high correlation between cognitive functioning and the performance of ADLs (Physical ADL: r = 0.798; p < 0.001; Instrumental ADL: r = 0.740; p < 0.001), a moderate correlation between Physical ADLs and categorization skills (unstructured ROC-d: r = 0.547; p < 0.001; structured ROC-d: r = 0.586; p < 0.001) and Instrumental ADLs and categorization skills in older people (unstructured ROC-d: r = 0.510; p < 0.001; structured ROC-d: r = 0.463; p < 0.001). The ROC-d allows the assessment of categorization skills to be quick and easy, facilitating the assessment process by OT, as well as the accuracy of the data obtained.

Translation, Reliability and Validity of the Spanish Version of the Modified New Mobility Score (NMS-ES).

The New Mobility Score (NMS) is an easy to administer self-report measure of functional ability, and is used worldwide as a hip fracture (HF) score, but a Spanish version does not exist. The aim of the study is to translate NMS into Spanish, and to measure its inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent validity in a sample of Spanish speaking patients with HF. A reliability and validity study with a sample of 60 adults, 65 years or older (46 women and 14 men; mean age 81.7 years) with a hip fracture admitted consecutively to the acute trauma service of the Health Campus Hospital of Granada. The participants were interviewed during the first week after surgery by an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist. The statistical test used for analysis were: Cronbach's α coefficient, McNemar-Bowker test, Bland-Altman plot, Spearman´s Rho, and Mann-Whitney U test. The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.90. No inter-rater systematic differences were found. We noted significant associations between the Spanish Version of the Modified New Mobility Score (NMS-ES) and selected health outcomes: Age, cognition, pre-fracture function, and basic mobility. The NMS-ES is a reliable and valid instrument to assess pre-injury functional levels for patients with HF in Spanish speaking countries.