Occupational Performance Of Children Research Articles

Parent-Mediated Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions on occupational performance of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a search of academic databases using terms such as autism spectrum disorder, parent, caregiver, and intervention. Five hundred eighty-two articles were reviewed, and 109 were selected for full-text review. The final analysis included 13 articles. Strong evidence was found for the efficacy of parent-mediated intervention for increasing child joint attention. Moderate evidence was found for the improvement of language scores, expressive language, nonverbal communication, initiation and response to interaction, behavior, play, adaptive functioning, ASD symptoms, and social communication. This systematic review suggests that parent-mediated interventions for children with ASD can improve various aspects of communication and ASD symptoms, with emerging support for occupational performance. Occupational therapy practitioners are well suited to facilitate these interventions to support families with children with autism.

Initial Studies of Validity of the Children's Occupational Performance Questionnaire.

Studies of validity of a new caregiver report measure, the Children's Occupational Performance Questionnaire (COPQ) designed to address children's performance in the domains of personal and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), social participation, play/leisure, and education/work are presented. I examined criterion-related and discriminant validity of the COPQ. Criterion-related validity was addressed by correlating children's COPQ scores with those from the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS-II). Quasi-experimental methods were used to compare COPQ scores from a heterogeneous group of children with disabilities with those from neurotypical children matched by age. COPQ scores correlated highly with scores from the VABS-II including social interaction, communication, daily living skills, and motor skills. Capacity of the COPQ to discriminate between children with and without disabilities varied dependent on age, and the occupational domain being considered. Preliminary support for the validity of COPQ as a measure of occupational performance for children was provided. Further study of the tool's psychometrics and with larger samples is needed.

Measuring the Outcomes of Therapeutic Listening in Children With Learning and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract Date Presented 4/20/2018 Daily individualized use of Therapeutic Listening Quickshifts (TL-Q) is proposed to improve occupational performance in children with learning and developmental disabilities. This study identified a standardized practice-based evidence procedure to measure the outcomes of TL-Q in occupational therapy practice. Primary Author and Speaker: Hannah Tashjian Additional Authors and Speakers: Donielle Hair, Phoebe Taasan, Julia Wilbarger

IPad applications that required a range of motor skills promoted motor coordination in children commencing primary school

Children are reported to spend less time engaged in outdoor activity and object-related play than in the past. The increased use and mobility of technology, and the ease of use of tablet devices are some of the factors that have contributed to these changes. Concern has been raised that the use of such screen and surface devices in very young children is reducing their fine motor skill development. We examined the effectiveness of iPad applications that required specific motor skills designed to improve fine motor skills. We conducted a two-group non-randomised controlled trial with two pre-primary classrooms (53 children; 5-6years) in an Australian co-educational school, using a pre- and post-test design. The effectiveness of 30minutes daily use of specific iPad applications for 9weeks was compared with a control class. Children completed the Beery Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) and observation checklist, the Shore Handwriting Screen, and self-care items from the Hawaii Early Learning Profile. On post testing, the experimental group made a statistically and clinically significant improvement on the VMI motor coordination standard scores with a moderate clinical effect size (P<0.001; d=0.67). Children's occupational performance in daily tasks also improved. Preliminary evidence was gained for using the iPad, with these motor skill-specific applications as an intervention in occupational therapy practice and as part of at home or school play.

Occupational Performance in Children Aged 6 to 13 Years with Cancer

Occupational Performance in Children Aged 6 to 13 Years with Cancer

The Effect of Sensory Integration Therapy on Occupational Performance in Children With Autism.

Sensory processing problems and related dysfunctions are among the most common conditions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined the effect of sensory integration therapy (SIT) on different aspects of occupational performance in children with ASD. The study was conducted on an intervention group ( n = 16) receiving SIT and a control group ( n = 15) with 3- to 8-year-old children with ASD. The Short Child Occupational Profile (SCOPE) was used to compare the two groups in terms of the changes in their occupational performance and the Sensory Profile (SP) was used to assess sensory problems. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in all the SCOPE domains, as well as in all the SP domains, except for the "emotional reactions" and "emotional/social responses" domains, ( p < .05). The effectiveness of SIT in improving occupational performance in children with ASD as a health-related factor is supported by our findings.

Defining and measuring the occupational performance of children

ABSTRACTOccupational performance assessments of children are essential for guiding occupational therapy intervention and for measuring the effectiveness of occupational therapy services for children. A review of relevant research and of occupational performance assessments designed for children was conducted to determine and describe how the occupational performance of children has been conceptualized and measured. The results indicated that more consistency with the ways in which occupational performance is being conceptualized by occupational scientists and within the occupational therapy profession is needed. A conceptual model for understanding and defining occupational performance was proposed and described. This model may be useful for assisting researchers in the development of new instruments for measuring occupational performance. In addition, how the model may be used by occupational therapists to describe what they refer to as occupational performance and to guide their evaluations of children are discussed.

Mothers' Experiences of Engaging in Occupational Performance Coaching

Introduction: Occupational Performance Coaching is an intervention provided to parents, which targets their goals in occupational performance for themselves and their children. Preliminary evidence points to its effectiveness; however, little is known about parents' experiences of engaging in Occupational Performance Coaching. Method: Within a larger mixed methods study, a purpose-designed survey comprising open and closed questions was used to explore parents' (N = 29) experiences of engaging in Occupational Performance Coaching. The survey targeted their impressions, learning experiences, and perceptions of the impact of Occupational Performance Coaching. Numerical data were analysed descriptively; written comments were analysed using content analysis. In this case all participants were mothers. Findings: Mothers' descriptions of Occupational Performance Coaching were largely positive. Learning experiences included gaining insights about themselves and their children alongside learning specific strategies to support their children's occupational performance. They reported greater understanding of their children and a perception that Occupational Performance Coaching had engendered a calmer, happier emotional tone within the family. Conclusion: Mothers perceived Occupational Performance Coaching as a valuable means to support their children and themselves to attain occupational performance goals. Findings prompt greater attention to coaching approaches and, more widely, the use of transformative learning as a means to enabling occupation.

GRIN: “GRoup versus INdividual physiotherapy following lower limb intra-muscular Botulinum Toxin-A injections for ambulant children with cerebral palsy: an assessor-masked randomised comparison trial”: study protocol

BackgroundCerebral palsy is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood. Spasticity is a significant contributor to the secondary impairments impacting functional performance and participation. The most common lower limb spasticity management is focal intramuscular injections of Botulinum Toxin-Type A accompanied by individually-delivered (one on one) physiotherapy rehabilitation. With increasing emphasis on improving goal-directed functional activity and participation within a family-centred framework, it is timely to explore whether physiotherapy provided in a group could achieve comparable outcomes, encouraging providers to offer flexible models of physiotherapy delivery. This study aims to compare individual to group-based physiotherapy following intramuscular Botulinum Toxin-A injections to the lower limbs for ambulant children with cerebral palsy aged four to fourteen years.Methods/DesignAn assessor-masked, block randomised comparison trial will be conducted with random allocation to either group-based or individual physiotherapy. A sample size of 30 (15 in each study arm) will be recruited. Both groups will receive six hours of direct therapy following Botulinum Toxin-A injections in either an individual or group format with additional home programme activities (three exercises to be performed three times a week). Study groups will be compared at baseline (T1), then at 10 weeks (T2, efficacy) and 26 weeks (T3, retention) post Botulinum Toxin-A injections. Primary outcomes will be caregiver/s perception of and satisfaction with their child’s occupational performance goals (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure) and quality of gait (Edinburgh Visual Gait Score) with a range of secondary outcomes across domains of the International Classification of Disability, Functioning and Health.DiscussionThis paper outlines the study protocol including theoretical basis, study hypotheses and outcome measures for this assessor-masked, randomised comparison trial comparing group versus individual models of physiotherapy following intramuscular injections of Botulinum Toxin-A to the lower limbs for ambulant children with cerebral palsy.Trial registrationACTRN12611000454976

Intra- and Inter-Rater Reliability of the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills Based on Video Recordings

Introduction: Hand skills are essential for children's occupational performance. The Assessment of Children's Hand Skills is a new assessment that utilizes naturalistic observations to capture children's actual hand-skill performance in everyday contexts. This study aimed to explore intra- and inter-rater reliability of the assessment based on video recordings, which are different from original naturalistic observations. Method: Two raters scored video recordings of 54 hand-skill activities performed by 12 children with developmental disabilities, twice in 2 weeks. Intra- and inter-rater reliability was examined at the individual hand-skill item scores, activity scores, and children's composite scores of the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills. Findings: Intra-rater reliability at item levels was generally acceptable, and both raters exhibited moderate to high agreement between the first and second evaluations (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.61–0.93) at activity scores and children's composite scores. However, the agreement between the two raters was unacceptable for most hand-skill items and activity scores. After rater effects were adjusted by Rasch analysis in children's composite scores, the inter-rater reliability was improved (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.81). Conclusion: This study shows that the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills based on video recordings is reliable within the same raters. Further research is required to confirm its inter-rater reliability by involving more training and raters with varied clinical experience.

Creating Enabling Environments at Preschool for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

The aim of this descriptive case study was to investigate the use of a two-part intervention in enabling the play skills of children with probable developmental coordination disorder in their preschool environments. Occupational performance coaching (OPC) was used with three teacher-child dyads in combination with a play-based intervention with the child. The intervention took place over 4 weeks and used the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the Revised Knox Preschool Play Scales, and the Play Observation Scale as outcome measures. Results indicated that the teachers found OPC to be useful in raising their awareness of issues surrounding occupational performance difficulties and in generating solutions to those difficulties. Improvements were noted in the children's occupational performance and in their developmental play skills. Frequency of engagement in group play increased while frequency of onlooker and unoccupied behaviour decreased. Implications for future interventions and research are described.

The Influence of Early Intervention Length on the Participation of Low Socioeconomic At-Risk Preschool Boys: A Two-Group Control Study

This study compared the effect of length—1 (shorter) versus 2 (longer) years—of a multi-model, multidisciplinary, school-based early intervention program on improving children's preschool participation, occupational performance, and performance skills both within activities and out of context (graphomotor, motor, and cognitive skills). Using a pre-post, two-group intervention design, low socioeconomic preschool boys, at risk for developmental delays, were assigned to a 2-year (n = 28) or a 1-year (n = 30) intervention program. While both group outcome measures improved following intervention, the outcome measures of the longer-group were significantly better than the shorter-group, except for performance skills out of context. Longer interventions appear to be more beneficial for at-risk preschool children.

Model of Social Competence in an Early Childhood Environment

Maintaining relationships and interacting socially are essential aspects of children's occupational performance. A Model of Social Competence in an Early Childhood environment has been formulated to guide the assessment of and intervention for young children with issues in social skills. This article aims to (1) present the constructs that contribute to social competence for young children, (2) describe the interrelated contextual, foundation and environmental influences on social competence using the Model of Social Competence in an Early Childhood environment as a means of systematically examining these factors, and (3) discuss future directions for early intervention for children with social competence concerns. Cultural considerations will be discussed in relation to the Singaporean early childhood context.

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention to Improve Occupational Performance in Children With Tourette Disorder

OBJECTIVE. We evaluated the efficacy of a comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) program to reduce tic severity and improve occupational performance in children with tic disorder using a one-group pretest-posttest design. METHOD. Thirty children with tic disorder completed an eight-session CBIT program. The program focused on habit reversal, relaxation training, and function-based approaches to address how the environment and social situations (antecedents and consequences) sustain or influence tic severity. RESULTS. We observed significant reduction in the number of tics and improvement in scores on the Parent Tic Questionnaire, Subjective Units of Distress Scale, and Child Occupational Self Assessment after CBIT compared with scores at baseline. CONCLUSION. Findings provided support that CBIT reduced the number of tic expressions, tic severity, and level of distress associated with tic and improved these children's self-perception of their competence in and importance of performing everyday activities (i.e., occupational performance).

Effectiveness of Occupational Performance Coaching in Improving Children's and Mothers' Performance and Mothers' Self-Competence

This study examined the effectiveness of occupational performance coaching in improving children's and mothers' occupational performance and mothers' parenting self-competence. A one-group time-series design was used to evaluate changes in children's (n = 29) and mothers' (n = 8) occupational performance at four time points: (1) pre-wait list, (2) preintervention, (3) postintervention, and (4) follow-up. Significant improvements in occupational performance occurred postintervention for children, F(1, 78) = 153.72, p < .001, η² = .86, and mothers, F(1, 78) = 153.72, p < .001, η² = .86, that were maintained 6 wk after intervention. Mothers' self-competence in parenting also improved, F(1, 72) = 17.36, p < .001, η² = .42. Findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of occupational performance coaching in improving children's and mothers' occupational performance and mothers' parenting self-competence. Improvements were sustained and appeared to generalize to other areas of performance.

Examining the Evidence for Interventions with Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Introduction:This paper presents the results of a critical review of the literature regarding the evidence for the effectiveness of a selection of interventions in terms of improving occupational performance in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).Method:The inclusion criteria for articles reviewed were as follows: be about children whose primary diagnosis was DCD; present actual research into the effectiveness of an intervention or interventions; consider interventions that fit with occupational therapy practice (although it was not necessary for the intervention to be carried out by an occupational therapist); be published in peer-reviewed journals; and be available in the English language. The literature search was conducted by applying Boolean logic to the following databases: EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ERIC. All articles that had the potential to fit the inclusion criteria were collected and screened for suitability. Reference lists of pertinent articles were also checked for further literature. The publication date of articles ranged from 1984 to 2011. Nineteen articles were deemed suitable for further appraisal and were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.Findings:The findings indicated that, of those interventions reviewed, the most effective in improving occupational performance was the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance approach.

Occupational Experiences and Subjective Well‐being of Mothers of Children with ASD in Taiwan

This study investigated the relationship between mothers' daily occupational experiences of productivity, restoration and pleasure with their subjective well-being (SWB) and with their child's developmental skills. Forty caregivers parenting young children with autism spectrum disorders served as a convenience sample in this study. Participants rated their occupational experience in a time diary for a 1-week period and rated their SWB on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale. Their child's occupational performance and development were evaluated using the Pediatric Daily Occupation Scale and Chinese Child Development Inventory. Spearman rank correlations were used to examine the relationship of SWB to these maternal and child factors. Mothers' pleasure levels were associated with two SWB measures: the positive affect and Satisfaction With Life Scale. Restoration levels related to positive affect only. Productivity levels and child factors were not significantly correlated with any of the SWB measures. A larger heterogeneous sample and a longitudinal study design to explore the fluctuation and stability of occupational experiences across time are recommended to examine caregivers' adaptation and/or alterations in SWB while adapting to their child's diagnosis and special needs.

Children who experience difficulties with learning: Mother and child perceptions of social competence

There is an emphasis on the social competence of children who have difficulties with learning as a significant percentage also experience reduced social skills. Social competence in the classroom is becoming increasingly important as the school curriculum incorporates group work and socially directed activities for purposes of learning. A goal of occupational therapy for children with learning difficulties and their parents is that they 'fit' into their social group and form friendships. While teachers are able to identify social skills that are required for life at school, less is known about how children perceive their interactions. This study aimed to explore social interaction during occupational performance at school and at home from the perception of children with learning difficulties and their mothers. Participants included 10, 8- to 12-year-old children who had difficulties with learning and their 10 mothers. Children were interviewed using semi-structured focus groups. Mothers participated in semi-structured interviews. Four main themes emerged from this study, including the importance of social skills, effects of poor social skills, difficulties with planning and problem solving in social situations and impact of social competence on a child's occupational performance. The study revealed that social participation is perceived to be an integral part of the child's ability to participate in occupational performance, and that children have definite perspectives on the importance of social competence. Children in this study indicated that their social skills were adequate when in an one-to-one situation but not in a group.

Motor-based occupational performance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Motor-based occupational performance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Overview of Occupational Therapy Practice with Children in Hong Kong

In this article, an overview of occupational therapy practice with children and families in Hong Kong is provided. Occupational therapy services are offered in government-funded hospitals, children's centers, and special schools. Private services are also provided on a self-financed, fee-for-service basis in clinical settings. Occupational therapists use different models of practice, including the person–environment–occupation model and the model of human occupation. Other frames of reference such as the rehabilitative, behavioral, developmental, and biomechanical are employed depending on the needs required. The focus of occupational therapy is to enhance children's development and occupational performance to cope with their needs in daily living, including school, play, and social life activities.