Occupational Therapy Profession Research Articles

Occupation- and lifestyle-based mental health interventions – A hallmark for the occupational therapy profession?

Occupation- and lifestyle-based mental health interventions – A hallmark for the occupational therapy profession?

Mindfulness and therapeutic relationships: insights from a phenomenological study of occupational therapists' practices

Background
 A well-established body of literature highlights the importance of the therapeutic relationship when working with children and youth. A growing body of literature points to the potential of mindfulness to enhance the quality of relationships, including the therapeutic relationship. To date, little attention has been paid to this topic within the profession of occupational therapy.
 Aim
 The aim of this study was to inquire into paediatric occupational therapists’ experiences of mindfulness in the therapeutic relationship with children and youth. 
 Methods
 Heideggerian-informed hermeneutic phenomenology was employed as the methodological approach. Two key Heideggerian concepts of being-with and care served as theoretical underpinnings of the study. Semi-structured interviews were completed with eight North American occupational therapists to elicit their first-hand accounts of mindfulness in the therapeutic relationship with their paediatric clients. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a phenomenological approach.
 Results
 Four key themes were identified and include: fostering a safe space, enhancing presence, being authentic, and cultivating acceptance.
 Conclusions
 The findings offer insights regarding the potential affordances of mindfulness to support clinicians as they form of therapeutic relationships with children and youth. This study highlights research priorities for future inquiry.

Occupational Therapy’s Opportunity to Impact Care at the End of Life

Navigating and managing the end of life can be difficult. The focus of occupational therapy in care at the end of life is to aid the patient and caregiver through these challenges by facilitating improved safety, comfort, and quality of life through the participation in meaningful occupations. Despite the ways that occupational therapy benefits these patients, occupational therapy involvement in care at the end of life is misunderstood, under-researched, and underutilized. There is a general lack of awareness regarding this topic and a stigma that occupational therapy focuses only on rehabilitation and therefore does not belong in care at the end of life. To combat these issues, there needs to be additional education and training for all healthcare professionals, including occupational therapy practitioners, about occupational therapy’s role in care at the end of life. Occupational therapy professionals in this area of practice must strive to educate others and advocate for their role to improve the understanding of this practice area and thus positively impact more patients and families.

2023 Sylvia Docker lecture: Ignite your passion, and connect, to make a difference.

Together, we grow our profession of occupational therapy as we engage in understanding and addressing the issues that challenge the people we work with. In this Sylvia Docker Lecture, I will share the collective journeys of myself and other occupational therapists and health professionals who have undertaken (or are currently undertaking) their PhDs and are actively involved in research, to address these challenges. Together, we will explore three themes: understanding the WHY that ignites one's passion; living the journey-the EXPERIENCE; and making a difference-the IMPACT. Stories will be told through the lived experience of those engaged in research as currently enrolled PhD students, emerging researchers, and experienced researchers. These stories will capture the lived experience across individuals, and at different times in the research journey. Stories are summarised and captured using natural language processing. Topics are identified, concept maps visualised, and outputs interpreted in context of related theoretical models. Key topics identified include: the clinical and personal motivators that have ignited the passion in individuals; the value of connecting with others and growing networks; and how one's research has made a difference. The impact of discoveries and outcomes are highlighted, together with the importance of people and networks. Analysis of connections and synthesis over time revealed frequent and strong connections across themes, concepts and topics; with synthesising concepts of passion, networks, knowledge translation, opportunities, supervision and communication emerging and being shaped over time. These collective journeys provide inspiration and pathways to creative careers that have future potential in the growth of the profession of occupational therapy. It is recommended that each occupational therapist take the time to reflect on the 'why' that ignites your passion, your journey and how you can make a difference!

The Occupational Therapy Profession in Saudi Arabia.

To provide an evidence-based description of how the occupational therapy profession operates in Saudi Arabia. A case study methodology set out an evidence-based description of occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia. Three procedures were used: (1) a structured narrative review of publications on occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia based on searches of seven healthcare databases; (2) an audit of "grey literature" about or referring to occupational therapy education, practice, research, or the profession in Saudi Arabia using Google Scholar, Google search, official documents and websites, and relevant global organisation such as the WFOT website and documents; and (3) consultation with occupational therapists to further discuss emerging evidence from peer-reviewed articles and grey literature about occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected in Arabic and English. Findings. Occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia is a rapidly growing and emerging profession primarily focused on rehabilitation practice. Between 2010 and 2019, seven academic organisations commenced bachelor's degree programmes. Occupational therapy services in Saudi Arabia are concentrated in city-based secondary and tertiary healthcare services targeting rehabilitation and disability support. The practice aims to promote the reduction in impairment and increase activity performance and participation in valued life roles. Despite the increasing demand for occupational therapy services, there needs to be more access to and availability of their services. Enhancement of the awareness of occupational therapy among the public and other healthcare professionals is needed. A consistent definition of occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia would strengthen the profession, along with a national scope of practice, practice guidelines, increased workforce and development, and professional education information. Occupational therapy in Saudi Arabia is growing regarding the size of the workforce and the number of programmes and services provided, thus contributing to the health and well-being of the population primarily through rehabilitation. Further development of the profession is necessary.

"הֲיֵלְכוּ שְׁנַיִם יַחְדָּו? ידע ועמדות אחיות אונקולוגיות אודות מקצוע הריפוי בעיסוק ושילובו בטיפול פליאטיבי"

Background. Palliative care represents a therapeutic approach designed to mitigate suffering and enhance the quality of life for patients and their families. The profession of occupational therapy (OT) plays a distinctive role in palliative care, as underscored by the Israeli National Palliative Program's call for the integration of OTs within the multi-professional team. To effectively realize this integration, team members, including nurses, should enhance their understanding of the potential contributions of OT and foster a positive attitude towards its inclusion in palliative care. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge among oncology nurses, regarding the OT profession, their attitudes regarding its integration into palliative care and the correlation between them. Method. An online 'knowledge and attitude' questionnaire was developed specifically for this study and completed by 89 oncology nurses (all women). Results. The findings revealed that the oncology nurses exhibited a high level of knowledge about the OT profession (M=10.51, SD=2.21, in the range of grades 1-14). Regarding their attitudes, it was observed that they acknowledged the significance of integrating OT into palliative care, though, in practice, they did not act accordingly with this belief. In addition, a positive correlation was found between the cognitive and behavioral dimensions of the position. The study did not uncover significant relationship between the nurses' level of knowledge about OT and their attitudes towards its integration. Conclusions and Recommendations. Despite the oncology nurses' commendable knowledge and positive perception of OT's integration into treatment, their actions in practice did not consistently align with these views. Consequently, fostering increased collaboration between the professions of OT and nursing within palliative care is imperative, with particular focus on education, research, policy, and clinical implementation. Additionally, it is recommended to actively promote and implement the recommendations outlined in the Israeli National Program for Palliative Care concerning the integration of OT as an integral part of the multi-professional team. This concerted effort will not only enhance patient care but also reinforce the efficacy of the palliative care approach.

Developing the First Digital Occupational Therapy Dictionary Worldwide: A Promising Mobile Application Model for Occupational Therapy Service Providers and Recipients.

The purpose of this study was to develop the first English-Arabic occupational therapy dictionary mobile application that could be used by occupational therapy service providers and recipients and help fill the gap in understanding and communicating occupational therapy services. Google Play Store and App Store application stores were searched first to identify any current electronic occupational therapy dictionary. While developing the dictionary concept and structure, end users' needs, language, and culture were taken into consideration applying a user-friendly design, functionalities, and an easy-to-understand language with illustrative visual representations. Our search for currently available electronic occupational therapy dictionaries did not identify any mobile application on the official application stores for iPhone and Android. As a result, a conceptual model was created to develop a mobile application aiming to develop a comprehensive and user-friendly mobile electronic dictionary with over 2400 scientific terms translated and annotated from English to Arabic, more than 350 illustrative pictures, and special features to assist occupational therapy professionals and occupational therapy services recipients in looking up and understanding terminology used in rehabilitation and occupational therapy in the most convenient, fastest, and easiest way possible. The occupational therapy dictionary mobile application has helped create a unified terminology and a common language of shared understanding, proved to be a helpful tool of communicating important messages between Arab occupational therapy professionals and community members through providing an easy access to up-to-date comprehensive English-Arabic lexicography in occupational therapy. It has become the first digital occupational therapy dictionary worldwide and has been made available for everyone to download from Google Play and App Store on their smartphones, computers, or tablets free of charge. Further research is urgently needed for quality improvement and to further enrich Arabic content in occupational therapy through developing evidence-based mobile tools to be used in occupational therapy practice by Arabic-speaking population.

Preparing for and Responding to the Current Mental Health Tsunami: Embracing Mary Reilly's Call to Action.

Although occupational therapy has its roots in mental health practice, the profession has not been able to adequately and consistently address mental health issues that face society today. As we continue to experience both the protracted coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and political and social unrest, occupational therapy professionals must take action at individual, state, and national levels to assist in mitigating the current mental health tsunami and improving a fractured mental health care system. In this column, we define and explore issues facing the mental health care system and the different roles and perspectives that are relevant to occupational therapy professionals. Recommendations for the future are provided: actions that can be facilitated at the individual level, in practice, education, and research; at the state level, through state organizations and strategic partnerships; and at the national level, through the American Occupational Therapy Association and other means of advocacy. We want to honor Mary Reilly's vision that occupational therapy become one of the greatest ideas of our time.

Neurodivergent affirming practice in occupational therapy: Scoping review and qualitative content analysis of the literature

Background Issues pertaining to neurodiversity and neurodivergence have only begun to be commented on in the occupational therapy discourse in recent years. A seminal piece made a notable proposal for the occupational therapy profession to shift its service paradigm to develop inclusive support for neurodivergent populations; the extent and success of this were yet to be measured. Aim To examine and describe the current qualitative, conceptual/theoretical, or opinion-based literature to identify key factors related to neurodivergent-affirming (or neurodivergent-inclusive) occupational therapy practice. Methods A combination of methodological guidance were utilised: (1) Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage methodological framework, (2) Levac et al., and (3) Pollock et al. Findings were reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Qualitative content analysis according to Elo and Kyngäs was conducted. Findings Eight resources met the criteria for inclusion. Four key categories were identified: (1) paradigm shift and therapeutic practice approaches; (2) advocacy and empowerment; (3) understanding and embracing neurodiversity as part of ethical and collaborative practice, and (4) systemic barriers, external challenges, and social context. Conclusions/Significance Findings suggest future directions include developing holistic approaches and building evidence through further research. This study serves as a knowledge synthesis to inform future research.

“Nós buscamos transformação social”: narrativas de experiências de profissionais da terapia ocupacional social

Abstract Introduction Social injustices and inequalities have become more prevalent worldwide, in recognition of this, occupational therapy and occupational science adopted and developed a social, transformative and critical practices. This has become more prevalent in Brazil, where social occupational therapy professionals, grounded in critical and ethical-political standpoints, have been working with groups and populations to enable justice and rights. Objective This study aims to understand the social occupational therapy professionals’ reasoning regarding their practices, and since Social Occupational Therapy (SOT) is a practice from the Global South, we draw some possible links between occupational science and social occupational therapy, which can contribute to the social relevance and impact of the occupational therapy profession in both Western and developing countries. Method This study utilized Polkinghorne's interpretive, narrative approach to interviewing 5 social occupational therapists from different regions and work environments in Brazil. Results The participants narrative interviews revealed how social occupational therapists focus on the social dimension of their professional reasoning. They have come to embrace a critical perspective, acknowledging the socio-political context of the communities and groups of people they work with, often in situations of vulnerability. This can be understood by the growing discussion of the role of occupational science as critical and socially responsive practice. Conclusion These findings can facilitate an intercultural dialogue with other frameworks that also advocate for social transformative work and collective action.

Mexican American Intergenerational Research: Transformative Model of Occupational Therapy.

Thirty-seven interviews of Mexican American women who crossed the border into the United States during the era of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory methods. The intent is to expand the occupational therapy profession's occupational consciousness and cultivate cultural humility. Four themes emerged from the data: suffering, work, yearning for an education, and compassion for others. The findings suggest that environmental barriers such as hierarchy (patriarchy and discrimination) and physical barriers (limited access to built environments, lack of nonexploitative work opportunities, and hostile educational institutions) prevented occupational participation. Small acts of resistance through everyday living (finding joy, playing, self-sufficiency, and community organizing) were identified as facilitators of occupational participation. The research findings challenge proposed assumptions found within the occupational therapy literature: (1) humans and occupations exist as separate from their environments, and (2) work, productivity, and leisure contribute positively to health. The Transformative Model of Occupational Therapy is introduced as a decolonized framework that inextricably links individual health to community and global health. The model centers play, social participation, work, and education as occupations that contribute to the common good. These occupations are kept in equilibrium within the Four Pillars of Culture (self-determination, compassion, sustainability, and language) or the cultural values identified and derived from the stories.

Asset-based leadership of practice: learning from an inter-professional development programme

Background: The Strengths-Based Leadership Programme has been designed to support practice leaders in health and social care. Its purpose is to enable participants to better understand their leadership behaviours and grow in confidence in their ability to improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities through asset-based principles. On its seventh cohort, participants to date include those from social work, nursing, occupational therapy, and other professions who are employed in the public sector, community organisations or independent providers.
 Who is it for? Professionals, practice leads / managers, training & development leads, programme implementation leads.
 Who did you involve and engage with? The programme was developed with a stakeholder group of people with lived experience and practitioners and drew on the insights and experience of a diverse wide network of professional and improvement leads in the UK and internationally.
 What did you do? The programme provides an interactive and dynamic CPD learning experience over six months. Participants explore their own practice in relation to leadership of self, teams & systems, and change. Activities include - access to diverse on-line materials such as talking heads, animations and theory summaries, inter-professional learning groups, undertaking of practical improvement projects, and regular reflections on their leadership strengths and opportunities to further develop. Participants are supported in their learning by an organisational sponsor with whom they meet at key stages of the programme. 
 What results did you get? The programme is being evaluated by an independent researcher through interviews, focus groups, and documentary analysis of participant reflections. The evaluation will be completed by December 2022, but emerging findings suggest that participants are finding the opportunity to learn and reflect on their leadership with those from different backgrounds and localities. Having access to a variety of material sources and evidence-based data, equipped participants with the ability to reflect on their current work based on these theoretical frameworks. Participants highlighted their improved understanding of the values and skills required to operationalise asset-based system leadership in their practice. Notably, participants shared that the course enabled them to recognise the values of trust and autonomy within teams and taught them skills of handling challenging situations in a positive way. At the strategic level, participants shared that they have either already initiated or planning to launch new pieces of work around coproduction and other activities that are more strengths-based in principle. They reported having gained confidence due to their increased knowledge and evidence base and being able to articulate their ideas more coherently.
 What is the learning for the international audience? Reflective development opportunities can enable practice leaders to develop skills and confidence to embed asset-based approaches within their teams and systems and co-produce initiatives with people and communities.
 What are the next steps? The programme content is being refreshed in line with feedback from participants and in addition to being offered on an open-cohort basis will be run with local partnerships as part of transformation programmes.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF AGEISM AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS

Abstract With our population aging, the need for healthcare practitioners trained in caring for older adults is urgent. The anticipated shortage of geriatric-trained providers may further the impact of age-related discrimination. Little data is published about the understanding of ageism by healthcare professionals and students. The comparison of these different groups became the focus of the conducted survey, and the presenting research analyzed a total of 467 respondents including dental, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy professions across 2 universities. When comparing demographic differences in studied populations, 69% of faculty/preceptors and 12% of students were over 35 years old. Overall, 33.8% reported being unable to define ageism with 27.7% of all students unable to do so. In looking specifically at pharmacy, 34.3% of students and 37.9% of faculty were unable to define ageism. Understanding ageism and its effects on healthcare for older adults is important for pharmacists as 82.1% of pharmacy faculty reported regularly interacting with older adults and 67% said that primarily occurred at work; yet only 37.5% had taken a class or course in geriatrics. Among pharmacy students, 71.4% interacted regularly with older adults with 41.4% saying this occurred primarily at work. Differences were noted in student education with 50% of pharmacy and 86.9% of physical therapy students having taken a geriatric course. Analysis and conclusions interpret the impact of ageism and emphasize a need for education to address age-related disparities and potential for bias in healthcare.

대한치료과학지의 연구동향

Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze research trends in occupational therapy and propose future research directions. Additionally, the study aims to recommend a strategy for establishing foundational data, which can enhance the expertise of occupational therapy professionals and contribute to the formulation of relevant policies.ublished in the Korean Society of Medicine & Therapy Science from 2009 to 2022, an analysis was conducted on the type of research, evidence level, field of research.
 Method: For the 223 articles pinformation regarding the first author, and the type of study participation.
 Results: Following the analysis, it was observed that experimental research constituted the highest proportion at 78.3 %, with level 2 evidence being predominant at 32.6 %. Notably, in the last three years, there was an increase in studies classified at levels 3 and 4. In terms of research fields, neurological occupational therapy held the majority at 60.9 %, while the primary position of the first author was occupied by occupational therapists, accounting for 80.4 %. Regarding participant demographics, studies targeting adults comprised the largest share at 81.3 %, and the most frequently studied diagnosis was stroke.
 Conclusion: The findings presented herein aim to provide readers with insights into the evolving landscape of occupational therapy research, contributing valuable information to enhance understanding and augment the available body of evidence in the field.

Guidelines for Contributors to AJOT.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) is the official journal of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The primary mission of AJOT is to publish peer-reviewed research examining the effectiveness and efficacy of occupational therapy practice so that occupational therapy professionals can make informed, evidence-based decisions about best practice. In addition, the journal aims to publish (1) research documenting the reliability and validity of occupational therapy instruments; (2) studies demonstrating a relationship between occupational engagement and the facilitation of community participation and health; and (3) articles that provide a forum for scholars to debate professional issues that affect education, practice, and research. This Guidelines for Contributors to AJOT is also available at the American Journal of Occupational Therapy manuscript submission website, ScholarOne (go to https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/ajot and click "Instructions & Forms" in the upper right). These guidelines are published annually in a supplement to the journal; any changes implemented in the interim are published to the Author Guidelines page on the AJOT website (go to https://research.aota.org/ajot/pages/authorguidelines).

State of the Journal, 2023

Abstract The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) has maintained its top-ranking status in the field of occupational therapy, as evidenced by an increase in its 2-yr impact factor. As the Editor-in-Chief enters her second 3-yr term, the journal faces both challenges and opportunities stemming from trends in academic publishing. The editorial team seeks to navigate these shifts while fostering meaningful research dissemination and translation. Key outcomes for 2023 showcase the journal’s dedication to addressing diverse occupational therapy needs. A special issue on autism and mental health in 2023 and upcoming themes on recovery after neurological injury and play in occupational therapy in 2024 exemplify AJOT’s commitment to relevant topics. The AJOT Authors & Issues interview series and an active presence on social media platforms further bolster research engagement and translation. Despite challenges, AJOT’s impact factor and rankings in the rehabilitation category have demonstrated its global influence and leadership. The journal’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is evident through initiatives such as AJOT’s DEI Committee and DEI article collection, as well as AJOT’s comprehensive approach to combating bias. As AJOT looks ahead to 2024, its goals include reviving State of the Science articles, updating our Author Guidelines to incorporate artificial intelligence and bias-free language policies, and fostering engagement through the AJOT Instagram account and monthly AJOT Authors & Issues discussions. With its dedication to rigorous research and meaningful translation, AJOT remains a crucial resource for occupational therapy professionals striving to make evidence-based decisions.

Using occupational therapy principles and practice to support independent message generation by individuals using AAC instead of facilitated communication

Facilitated communication (FC) has been a heavily debated and documented topic across multiple disciplines, including sociology, education, psychology, pediatrics, speech-language pathology, and disability studies. Although many professionals from various disciplines and advocates have offered opinions, suggestions, and research on the topic, there has been minimal input from the occupational therapy (OT) profession. The lack of OT input is noteworthy as OTs are experts in enabling upper extremity performance and independence through a variety of training, adaptation and modification strategies, and use of external supports. Because of their professional code of ethics and a specific knowledge base, OTs are uniquely positioned to provide a host of ethical and evidence-based strategies that enable independent access to communication technology. The consideration of multiple access options is contrary to the typical facilitated encounter where facilitators exclusively choose to manipulate an upper extremity in order for letters to be selected on a display or keyboard. The purpose of this paper is threefold: (a) To offer insight into the standard of care by OTs including their ethical standards; (b) to identify varied accommodations that enable access using a feature-matching standard of care that eliminates the need for a facilitator; and (c) to highlight how to increase independent assistive technology/augmentative and alternative communication access, thus dissuading the need or use of facilitated access to letters.

A 10-YEAR SCOPING REVIEW OF SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS USED FOR DRIVING REHABILITATION IN OLDER ADULTS

This scoping review aims to explore the screening and assessment tools used for driving rehabilitation in older adults and the domains that these tools evaluate. Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were used to search for potential studies published from 2012 to 2022, and 34 studies met our inclusion criteria. The findings revealed various types of tools used to screen and assess older adults' fitness to drive, including off-road screening tools (n = 54), off-road assessment tools (n = 21), and on-road assessment tools (n = 20). This review also identified five main domains evaluated by these tools: general information, physical, cognitive, vision, and driving competency. This review provides valuable insights into the screening and assessment tools available for evaluating driving rehabilitation in older adults. The results of this study may assist in the growth of the occupational therapy profession in the area of driving rehabilitation by guiding them in selecting the most appropriate tools to evaluate older adults' fitness to drive.

Cognitive-behavioral Interventions in Occupational Therapy for Chronic Upper Limb Pain - A Qualitative Study

Aim: Within the framework of the Perezoso research group at the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences, which deals with the interdisciplinary treatment of patients with osteoarthritis, it was necessary to focus on the topic of pain. Therefore, the present research work was conducted. But beyond that, it's also essential for the increasing knowledge and awareness in the field of (chronic) pain especially in occupational therapy but also in other health professions. Background: In the treatment of chronic pain, occupational therapists use cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions (CBT) among other methods. The aim is to learn new behaviors and to question and change negative interpretations and constructions. Possible effects of CBT in chronic pain can be a reduction of pain, anxiety, disease activity, psychological effects and disability on the one hand and an increase in self-efficacy, pain control and quality of life on the other hand. Methods: To find out how occupational therapists apply CBT when treating clients with chronic upper limb pain, a systematic literature search was conducted in various databases. Within the framework of a qualitative research approach, five experts were interviewed using semi-structured guided interviews. The transcription was done according to Dresing and Pehl, supplemented by Rädiker and Kuckartz and was analyzed using the deductive-inductive approach by means of qualitative content analysis according to Elo and Kyngäs. Results: The approach is highly individualized, but aims to incorporate both the biological, social and psychological aspects of chronic pain. Everything from individual or group sessions, inpatient or outpatient stays and different emphases are involved. Pain education, awareness and coping measures are applied. Through the orientation to everyday life, a distinction is made between occupational therapy and other professions. The involvement of relatives is sometimes considered useful, but the final decision should be made by the clients. Discussion and Conclusion: Different pain patterns as well as hardly any current studies, especially in which occupational therapists explicitly apply CBT, only lead to a limited comparability. There is a need for more psychological and interdisciplinary interventions in order to be able to optimally treat clients with persistent pain. An advanced knowledge of pain, conversation management or CBT is considered essential.

Practice-based placement learning and innovation: Essential for the professional identities of tomorrow’s occupational therapists and the future of the occupational therapy profession

Practice-based placement learning and innovation: Essential for the professional identities of tomorrow’s occupational therapists and the future of the occupational therapy profession