Development and Validation of the Hocus Focus Magic Performance Evaluation Scale for Health Professions Personnel in the United States.

PUPROSE: This study is to describe the development and validation of the Hocus Focus Magic Performance Evaluation Scale (HFMPES) which is used to evaluate the competency of health professions personnel in delivering magic tricks as a therapeutic modality. METHODS: A two-phase validation process was used. Phase I content validation involved 16 magician judges who independently rated the relevance of each of the five items in the HFMPES and established the veracity of its content. Phase II was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HFMPES. This process involved 2 magicians using the HFMPES to independently evaluate 73 occupational therapy graduate students demonstrating three magic tricks. RESULTS: The HFMPES achieved an excellent scale-content validity index of .99. Exploratory factor analysis of the HFMPES scores revealed one distinct factor with alpha coefficients ≥.8 across the three magic tricks. The construct validity of the HFMPES scores was further supported by the evidence from the known-groups analysis in which Mann-Whitney U test showed significant difference in HFMPES scores between participants with different levels of experience in delivering the three magic tricks. The inter-rater reliability coefficients were ≥.75 across the three magic tricks, which indicated that evaluation of the competency of health professions personnel in delivering the three magic tricks can be evaluated precisely. CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence supported the content and construct validity of the HFMPES with good internal consistency and inter-rate reliabilities in evaluating health professions personnel's competency in delivering magic tricks.

Attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates among occupational therapy students in the United States.

PURPOSE: This study was to examine occupational therapy (OT) students' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates and validate an instrument used to measure their attitudes. METHODS: OT students (n=128) from one university in Alabama, United States, completed an online survey exploring their attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates, which was assessed using the Rehabilitation Orientation Scale (ROS), a 7-point scale. Dimensional structure, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and relations to other variables of the ROS was evaluated using factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha, known-groups method, and univariable correlations, respectively. RESULTS: Unidimensionality of the ROS was confirmed with an alpha coefficient of .90. The mean ROS score of the respondents was 5.1; a score toward 7 indicated a more supportive attitude. About 60% of the respondents reported supportive attitudes (i.e., an ROS score ≥5). Respondents' ROS scores were significantly higher than those of the public and criminal justice professionals. Female students reported a more supportive attitude than males. Multiple regression analysis indicated that respondents' consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and their perception that OT has a role in prison settings were significantly associated with support for rehabilitating inmates, after controlling for gender and an acquaintance with someone who has been incarcerated. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that the ROS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties as it applied to this population. The majority of respondents reported supportive attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates. Consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and the perception that OT has a role in prison settings were two independent factors associated with respondents' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates.

Impact of participation in a theatre programme on quality of life among older adults with chronic conditions: a pilot study.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate the effect of participation in the "Seasoned Arts At the Samford for You" (SAASY) programme, which included a 6-week acting class and four public performances, on the psychological well-being and health-related quality of life of older adults. Twelve older adults with chronic conditions from a low-income senior apartment and a senior living community participated in the programme. The acting class, led by two professional artists, met for a 2-hour class weekly for six weeks. Participants completed the General Well-being Schedule (GWBS) and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) both at the beginning of the programme and one month after the programme ended. In addition, participants were individually interviewed to explore the perceived impact of the theatre programme on their well-being. Participants reported a significantly higher score in the GWBS and on the physical but not on the mental component summary of the SF-36 at post-SAASY programme. Content analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that participants attained an improved sense of self-worth and self-advocacy and overcame self-imposed limitations. Results showed improvement in psychological well-being and health-related quality of life, most notably in the physical health component of SF-36 after participating in the programme. Practice implications for occupational therapists using drama as a creative leisure occupation to promote health among older adults with chronic conditions may involve analysis of participants' occupational profile, identification of deficit areas and adaptation of the acting programme content to meet specific needs and goals. The present study used a pretest and post test one group design that has numerous inherent limitations that affect the ability to make valid inferences from study findings. A more rigorous research design with a wait-listed control group and collection of outcome measures immediately after the acting class as well as at three months follow-up is essential in validating the present findings. Outcome measures used in future studies to evaluate the health benefits of a theatre programme should focus on ameliorating the effects of disease on disability (such as functional mobility, everyday cognitive function and activities of daily living) in addition to prevention.

Impact of participating in volunteer activities for residents living in long-term-care facilities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a volunteer activity on the perceived well-being of long-term-care (LTC) residents. Residents from five LTC facilities were randomly assigned into either a mentoring or a usual-care control group. Residents in the mentoring group tutored conversational skills to English-as-a-second-language students on a one-on-one basis for 1 hour twice per week for 12 weeks. Well-being, as a global outcome construct, was measured at baseline, after intervention, and at 3-month follow-up using the Geriatric Depression Scale, Life Satisfaction Index-A, and a self-rated health question. After intervention, residents who participated in the mentoring group rated their level of well-being higher (p = .047) than those in the usual-care group on the basis of a multivariate nonparametric global statistical test. The positive effect of mentoring on well-being relative to the control was sustained at 3-month follow-up assessment (p = .029). Findings provide preliminary support for engaging LTC residents in volunteer mentoring activities to improve their well-being.

Home-based exercise to alleviate fatigue and improve functional capacity among breast cancer survivors.

This pilot study examined the efficacy of two home-based exercise programs on alleviating fatigue and improving functional capacity in breast cancer survivors. Participants were randomly assigned into one of three groups: aerobic exercise (AE), resistance exercise (RE), or usual care control (CON). After receiving individualized instruction and training, participants assigned to the AE and RE groups were asked to perform the prescribed exercise(s) 3 times per week for 12 weeks at home. Both groups were instructed to keep their perceived exercise intensity in the "fairly light" to "somewhat hard" range using the Borg Perceived Exertion Scale. All participants completed the revised Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) at baseline and 12-week post-exercise program. Analysis of pre- and post-training data revealed a significant reduction in fatigue levels on the PFS among participants in the AE group (Z=2.521, one-tailed P=0.006), and a significant improvement in the distance of the 6MWT for the RE group (Z=2.366, one-tailed P=0.009) at the end of 12-week study period. No significant changes in fatigue or functional status were observed in the CON group. Findings provide preliminary support for RE as a viable strategy for improving functional capacity in breast cancer survivors, while AE may be more effective in attenuating cancer-related fatigue. Incorporating RE training for future research may help advance the growing body of knowledge in symptom management for breast cancer survivors.

The use of infant seating devices in child care centers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the duration of time that infants in child care centers were placed in infant seating devices to the duration of time spent on the floor or being held by child care providers. METHOD: Thirty-eight infants who were typically developing (mean age = 4.5 months) from eight child care centers were observed minute-by-minute for a consecutive 120 min, targeting the amount of time each infant spent in seating devices, on the floor, or being held by child care providers. RESULTS: The amount of time the infants spent in seating devices was significantly longer than on the floor (p= .0001) or being held by child care providers (p= .0001). CONCLUSION: All infants spent more time in seating devices than on the floor or being held by child care providers. Future research should explore seating device use in infants identified as at-risk or as having special needs, particularly how child care routines for these infants may influence seating device use, as well as the impact of this practice on these infants' motor development.

Managing post-therapy fatigue for cancer survivors using energy conservation training.

This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of energy conservation training to help post-therapy cancer survivors manage their fatigue. Twelve post-therapy cancer survivors were randomly assigned to an energy conservation training or usual care control (6 in each group). Participants in the intervention group received 1 to 2 hours of individual, face-to-face energy conservation training from an occupational therapist followed by once-a-week telephone monitoring sessions in the subsequent three weeks. Participants in the control group received standard care from their oncologist. Analysis of pre- and post-training data from the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) revealed significant reduction only in the sensory subscale of the PFS (Z = 2.21; p = 0.027) for the intervention group; but no significant reduction in the four subscale or total scores of the PFS for the control group. Findings demonstrate partial support for the effectiveness of energy conservation training in helping post-therapy cancer survivors manage their fatigue. Energy conservation training seems to be a viable strategy for managing cancer-related fatigue, though its efficacy is modest. Incorporating specific energy restoration strategies such as relaxation and meditation for future research may help advance the growing body of knowledge in symptom management for post-therapy cancer survivors.

A measure of fall risk behaviors and perceptions among community-dwelling older adults.

PURPOSE: Relatively little is known about the interaction between behavioral and environmental circumstances associated with falls among community-dwelling older adults. This study is designed to develop an instrument that measures community-dwelling older adults' participation in and perceptions of fall risk behaviors. METHOD: Eighty-seven community-dwelling older adults aged 60 or above (mean +/- SD = 76 +/- 7.9), who had experienced at least one fall in the past 12 months, completed a questionnaire dealing with frequency of their participation in fall risk behaviors, their perceptions of these behaviors, and their fall history. Data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: A 20-item instrument consisting of three constructs was presented as the Fall Risk Behaviors and Perceptions Scale (FRB&PS). Two of the three constructs of the instrument were de-stabilizers and non-supports, both of which measure participation in fall risk behaviors; the third was perceptions of fall risk behaviors. Internal consistency coefficient of the FRB&PS is 0.733 with a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) score of 0.075, which indicates an adequate model fit. Results from the stepwise regression analyses indicated that adults aged 75 and above (the old-old) participated less frequently in fall risk activities (p = 0.025), and had more knowledge about fall risks as measured by a higher perception score (p = 0.025) than those aged 60 to 75 (the young-old). Older men tended to participate more frequently in fall risk activities (p = 0.020) than older women; in addition, those older adults who are more mobile (p = 0.002) also participated more frequently in fall risk behaviors than those who are less mobile. CONCLUSION: Preliminary findings indicate that the pilot FRB&PS is a reliable and valid instrument to measure community-dwelling older adults' participation in and perceptions of fall risk behaviors. Additional psychometric validation of the FRB&PS on predicting the likelihood of falls is warranted.

Body image and exercise in people with and without acquired mobility disability.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine whether differences existed in self-perceived body image between adults with and without Acquired Mobility Disability (AMD), and whether a relationship existed between exercise and self-perceived body image in adults with AMD. METHOD: Thirty adults with AMD were paired with 30 able-bodied controls and matched on gender, age, ethnicity and exercise level. Both groups completed the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) which measures body image on 10 subscales related to appearance, fitness, health/illness, body-areas satisfaction and weight-related attitude. RESULTS: A 2 x 2 two-way ANOVA, with disability (AMD vs able-bodied) and exercise (active vs non-active) serving as the main factors, was used to examine group differences of each on the 10 subscales of the MBSRQ separately. Results indicated that there was a significant interaction between disability and exercise on Health Orientation [F(1, 56) = 22.46, p = 0.000]. Post-hoc analysis indicated that active able-bodied individuals scored higher on the health orientation subscale than the other three subgroups. No other comparisons on health orientation were significant. There was a significant main effect of disability on appearance orientation [F(1, 56) = 10.44, p = 0.002] and health evaluation [F(1, 56) = 10.48, p = 0.002], and a significant main effect of exercise on appearance evaluation [F(1, 56) = 10.75, p = 0.002] and fitness orientation [F(1, 56) = 40.96, p = 0.000]. The AMD group scored higher on appearance orientation than the able-bodied group, whereas the able-bodied group scored higher on health evaluation. The physically active group scored higher than the non-active group on appearance evaluation and fitness orientation. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that individuals with AMD rated their body image comparable to the able-bodied controls except in the attention paid to appearance and perceptions about physical health. When taking the effect size of the main effect of exercise into consideration, the members of the active mobility disability group appear to evaluate their physical appearance (appearance evaluation) and health (health evaluation) better, are more concerned with fitness (fitness orientation) and more satisfied with different body parts (body areas satisfaction) when compared to their non-active mobility disability counterparts. The potential role of exercise on improving body image in individuals with mobility disabilities should be systematically investigated.