Introduction
Sensory Modulation Interventions (SMI) assist people with mental illnesses to regulate emotional and physiological arousal. We aimed to conduct a scoping review to identify the study ...designs, geographical distribution, modality/regimen, barriers and facilitators in using SMI for individuals with mental illnesses.
Methods
A systematic search was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley’s framework with studies published on SMI from January 2010 to November 2020.
Results
17 articles were found to be relevant. One was a case-control study, qualitative (N = 3), mixed-method (N = 3), and case studies (N = 3), and the rest were pilot interventional studies (N = 8). The duration of sessions ranged from 2 to 30 minutes for 2 days to 3 years. The facilitators in using SMI were of being cost-effective and easily adaptable. Barriers were in terms of maintenance of sensory items. Sensory modulation based items related to proprioception, vestibular and tactile were the frequently used in the SMI based interventions used in the included studies.
Conclusions
SMI as an occupational therapy intervention for individuals with mental illnesses is evolving and more robust studies in the future are recommended.
Knowledge about work-related occupational therapy in psychiatric inpatient and day hospital clients is limited.
The aim of the study was to explore the desired and achieved productivity status in ...mental health service users participating in a pre-vocational therapy (PVT) intervention. Outcome variables were productivity status and achievement of desired productivity status at discharge, and change or persistence of productivity status between admission and discharge.
This is a short-term prospective study based on observational data from health records (N = 98).
At admission, 53.2% of participants named a clear desired productivity status; 46.8% did not. Of the former, 76.9% expressed a desire for employment or education on the regular job market; 28.0% achieved their desired outcome at discharge, whereas 72.0% did not. Overall, 58.5% retained, established or increased productive activities, while 41.5% were not engaged in or had reduced productive activities at discharge. These two groups differed in socio-economic and social-security-related characteristics, treatment-related characteristics and psychiatric diagnosis.
Some, but not all kinds of clients in acute psychiatric inpatient and day hospital settings manage to take a first step towards productive activities during the first phase of treatment.
Aims: This pilot randomized comparative study investigated changes in motor performance and indices of neuroplasticity associated with occupation-based intervention and repetitive task practice in ...the recovery of occupational performance following stroke. Method: Sixteen participants received either occupation-based intervention or repetitive task practice for eight 55-minute sessions. Motor performance was measured by the Fugl Meyer Assessment (FMA), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS). Indices of neuroplastic change were assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Results: Both occupation-based intervention and repetitive task practice groups demonstrated significant changes on the FMA and the occupation-based group demonstrated significant changes on the GAS goals. Neurophysiological measures showed enlargement in TMS volume maps in the affected hemisphere for both groups. Conclusion: Occupation-based and repetitive task practice interventions can yield similar improvements in chronic stroke.
Introduction
Mental health disorders and low levels of mental well-being can have a lasting effect on life satisfaction and contribution to society for children and adolescents, yet the effectiveness ...of occupational therapy interventions is unknown.
Methods
A mixed methods systematic review was conducted including studies with children and adolescents aged 5–16 years, who had mental health difficulties, that evaluated occupational therapy interventions and focused on participation in everyday occupations as an outcome.
Results
The nine included studies were generally very low quality. The results could not be pooled due to heterogeneity. For children with Asperger’s syndrome, the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance intervention had clinically significant improvements on occupational performance and social skills. For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the Ultimate Guide to Play, Language and Friendship intervention improved playfulness and the Cognitive–Functional intervention had a statistically significant improvement on occupational performance and behaviour.
Conclusion
One intervention used by occupational therapists with children with Asperger’s syndrome and two interventions used with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had some evidence of effect. No evidence was identified for the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for children and adolescents with other common mental health conditions.
A high number of breast cancer survivors need to resume work. Therefore, interventions aimed at effective work-related transitions are important.
A systematic review to determine what occupational ...therapy interventions are effective in work-related transitions of breast cancer survivors.
Multiple databases were searched for studies on work-related interventions within the scope of occupational therapy. Studies were included if 70% or more study participants were working age (> 18 years) breast cancer survivors, and work-related transition outcome measures were used.
The search yielded 2 872 articles, of which 12 met the inclusion criteria. When classified according to the International Classification of Function Framework, quantitative sources focussed on Body Structures and Functions component and Multicomponents (consists of the Body Structures and Functions Component and the Activities Component) showed positive effects on improving the work-related transitions of BC survivors, however, the effects were statistically insignificant and the strength of evidence was moderate. Participants in a qualitative source reported that after they underwent a physical exercise programme their work performance improved. A Multicomponents intervention study showed statistically significant improvements on self-reported work-related outcomes of BC survivors. Low evidence was found for implementing a vocational rehabilitation case management programme targeting the Activities component, which showed positive effects in reducing the sick leave days of BC survivors, but the effects were statistically insignificant. No evidence was found for programmes focussed on restoring the Participation component.
The evidence included in this systematic review were insufficient to recommend occupational therapy interventions that are effective (showing statistically significant improvements) for work-related transitions of BC cancer survivors.
Interventions to enhance cognitive and executive function performance are essential for the child's performance in current and future occupations. Occupational therapy practitioners are critical ...members of early intervention, education, and healthcare teams. Practitioners are distinctly qualified to address cognitive functioning within the context of occupational performance by providing evidence-based interventions to children and their families as well as training caregivers and teams to enhance cognitive and executive functioning (EF) performance. The purpose of this review was to update the previous systematic review on this topic. The focused question guiding the selection of research studies was: "What is the evidence for the effectiveness for interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to promote cognitive development and prevent further delay for children 0-5 and their families?" Due to the breadth of the review, the results were divided into two articles. This article (Part 1) focuses on cognitive interventions for children birth to 5 years with known conditions while Part 2, also in this issue, will address findings on interventions for children at risk due to environmental factors and promoting cognitive development for children birth to 5 years. For Part 2, see EJ1333259.
AbstractBackground: A community-based occupational therapy program aims to provide client-centered and occupation-based interventions to at-risk youth. Objective: This pilot study explores how ...at-risk youth experiencing psychosocial and environmental barriers to occupation respond to client-centered and occupation-based occupational therapy in the community. Method: One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with five youth participants receiving individual therapy interventions through a community-based occupational therapy program. The transcript data were analyzed qualitatively. Results: Three themes emerged: (i) client-centered and occupation-based OT interventions, (ii) the youths' increased self-advocacy, and (iii) the enhancement of youths' perception of their future. Conclusion and significance: The youth in this study described OT interventions exemplifying client-centered and occupation-based therapy, a non-prescriptive approach that validates the individual and may prove especially effective in serving the at-risk youth population.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased two percent from 2012–2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018) and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ...has considered ASD to be a major health concern. The demands of caring for a child with developmental disabilities, including ASD can be overwhelming and the caregivers are experiencing heightened levels of stress in comparison to rearing typically developing children (Argumedes, Lanovaz, & Larivée, 2017; Lindo, Kliemann, Combes, & Frank, 2017). There is a need for more family support to implement more effective coping strategies to deal with the maladaptive functioning of the child with ASD (Hall, & Graff, 2011). The WE C.A.R.E. 2 Program is a nine-week evidence-based community pilot program that will provide an inclusive opportunity with additional family support and effective coping strategies e.g., breathing techniques, yoga postures and positive coping cognitions (e.g., positive self-talk and reappraisals) to decrease the stress levels of caregivers and promote healthy behaviors and healthy child development with the support and training from trained facilitators and a network of caregivers. This individualized plan will tailor to the needs of each dyad to create the necessary mechanisms of change (behavior, cognition, physiological, and sensory modulation) among the children and adults in the yoga group. The professional collaboration of different disciplines (occupational therapy, yoga therapist and teacher) will provide the appropriate modifications to the environment and provide the necessary input for the “just right” experience for a positive outcome.
The aim of this study was to describe how non-professional caregivers understood and responded to the problems of everyday life in their interaction with a family member suffering from dementia ...disease. Data were obtained through interviews. The analysis was performed using a comparative qualitative approach. The findings demonstrated how the caregivers' strategies for handling everyday problems varied and reflected a personal understanding of the relative's life history. On basis of these findings and previous research, the implications for therapeutic interventions by occupational therapists were presented and discussed.
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