Participation In Everyday Occupations Research Articles

Examining the use of assistance dogs to enhance participation in everyday occupations for people with mobility challenges

Introduction: The impact of assistance dogs on an individual’s life is multifaceted. The occupational therapist must identify how assistance dogs enhance occupational performance and influence an individual’s life. This study aims to deepen our understanding about the benefits and challenges of assistance dogs for individuals with mobility challenges. Methods: The qualitative data analysis included codes and theme identification. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, including mean, standard deviation, and Cronbach’s alpha (score reliability). Results: Results indicate that the job of the assistance dog is comprehensive and complex. Assistance dogs support independence, provide hope through occupations, assist with general and client-specific needs, and provide companionship. The use of occupational therapy outcome tools to assess the benefits of service dogs adds to the body of literature. Conclusion: A service dog enhances occupational performance at home, work, school, and community. This unique study aims to deepen the understanding of the benefits and challenges of assistance dogs as an occupational therapy intervention for individuals with mobility challenges.

Participation in Everyday Occupations Among Rohingya Refugees in Bangladeshi Refugee Camps

Abstract Importance: Bangladesh hosts a large number of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Living in refugee camps, the Rohingya refugees face challenges in everyday occupations because of violence, limited opportunities, and corporal punishment by the community. Objective: To explore how Rohingya refugees experience participation in everyday occupations while living in temporary refugee camps in Bangladesh. Design: Phenomenological study to describe, understand, and interpret the meanings of life experiences in particularly adverse conditions. Setting: Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Participants: Fifteen purposively selected participants from the camps. Outcomes and Measures: In-depth semistructured interview, as well as participant and environmental observations. Researchers used line-by-line data analysis to capture quotations and patterns using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which included establishment of initial codes, interpretation, determining selected codes, and categorization. Results: The research identified four major themes—(1) mental stress, sleep disturbances, and daily occupations; (2) adjustment to inconsistent daily activities; (3) complex relationships and limited social roles that decreased occupational engagement; and (4) involvement in precarious occupations that exacerbated severe health risks—and four subthemes—(1) fragmented family relationships, (2) formation of new relationships to perform social roles, (3) inconvenient and inaccessible living conditions, and (4) continuation of unlawful work to survive. Conclusions and Relevance: Rohingya refugees should receive comprehensive health and rehabilitative care because of their perilous mental health conditions, precarious occupations, and lack of trustworthy relationships with family and neighbors. What This Article Adds: Rohingya refugees experience imbalanced, deprived, and maladapted occupations in refugee camps. Suggestions to improve their lived experience with further peer support programs may help them participate in occupation-based rehabilitation services to facilitate their social integration.

Participation in Everyday Occupations Among Rohingya Refugees In Bangladeshi Refugee Camps

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> This research explores how the Rohingya refugees experience participation in everyday occupations while living in temporary refugee camps in Bangladesh. <h3>Design</h3> A phenomenological study was conducted to describe, understand, and interpret the meanings of experiences of human life in particularly adverse conditions. Fifteen adults were purposively selected to participate in an in-depth semi-structured interview and participant observations. Researchers used line-by-line data analysis for capturing quotations and patterns using the strategy of interpretive phenomenological analysis. <h3>Setting</h3> Bangladesh. <h3>Participants</h3> Rohingya Refugees. <h3>Interventions</h3> No. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Qualitative. <h3>Results</h3> The research identified three major themes: 1) mental health conditions impacted the ability to participate fully in daily activities, 2) complex relationships and limited social roles decreased occupational engagement, and 3) involvement in precarious occupations exacerbated severe health risks. Six sub-themes were identified: a) past incidents destroying peaceful sleep, b) adjusting to inconsistent daily activities, c) fragmented family relationships, d) forming new relationships to perform social roles, e) inconvenient and inaccessible living conditions, and f) continuing unlawful work to survive. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Conclusion and Relevance: Rohingya refugees should receive comprehensive health and rehabilitative care because of their perilous mental health conditions, precarious occupations, and lack of trustworthy relationships with family and neighbors. Peer-led support may help the refugees participate in occupation-based rehabilitation services that may facilitate their social integration. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> This research doesn't have any conflict of interest.

Working with clients of higher weight in Australia: Findings from a national survey exploring occupational therapy practice.

Occupational therapists are key members of the multidisciplinary team and regularly work with people of higher weight across age groups and practice settings. There is limited existing research regarding the occupational therapy role with this client group. The aim of this study was to explore occupational therapy practice and barriers to service provision for Australian occupational therapists working with clients of higher weight. A cross-sectional study design using a self-administered online survey was distributed to members of the national occupational therapy professional association. The survey was designed to identify common assessments and interventions used with clients of higher weight and explore occupational therapists' perspectives on their knowledge and confidence and the barriers to service delivery. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise rating scales, and open-ended responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Eighty Australian occupational therapists working in a range of settings and with varied experience levels participated in the study. Participants described the most common areas of occupational therapy assessment and intervention when working with clients of higher weight to be self-care, equipment prescription, home modifications and pressure care. Respondents were least confident in interventions related to psychosocial, leisure and employment interventions. Barriers to service delivery included accessibility and cost of equipment, lack of training and weight stigma. Occupational therapy practice promotes and enables participation in everyday occupations with people of higher weight. This study highlights not only the occupational therapy skills and unique approach to the person, their environment and occupations but also the challenges faced by occupational therapists when working with people of higher weight. Occupational therapists could consider utilising the weight-inclusive paradigm to broaden their contribution from self-care to other important aspects of participation and well-being.

Occupational gaps reported by proxies for persons with dementia residing in a nursing home

Background In accordance with Swedish national dementia guidelines, persons with dementia residing in nursing homes should have the possibility to participate in everyday occupations. Securing choices and desires for participating in occupations is challenging due to the nature of dementia and is not evident in empirical studies regarding nursing home residents. Aim to describe gaps in participation in everyday occupations among persons with dementia living in a nursing home, as reported by a proxy respondent. Method To record the congruence or discrepancy between doing and wanting to do, the Occupational Gaps Questionnaire was used. Results were analysed with descriptive statistics. Results The respondents scored that over half of the persons with dementia had two or more occupational gaps and one-fourth wanted to participate in minor shopping. However, less than two percent were deemed to do this activity. Conclusions Persons with dementia living in nursing homes risk restrictions in participation. Securing valuable information regarding individuals’ choices and desires, adhering to the persons' inherent rights to expression, can be the first step in promoting participation in everyday occupations. Significance Occupational therapists with their unique theoretical knowledge can facilitate participation in occupations, supporting the citizenship of nursing home residents.

Individuals With Moderate to Severe Intellectual Disabilities: Perceptions of Community

Abstract Date Presented 04/13/21 The purpose of this study was to understand how people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities perceive community. It is important to consider an individual’s context when investigating perceptions of community. Having a better understanding of how this population perceives community can lead to improved policies and regulations that truly maximize participation in everyday occupations, which will ultimately improve this population’s health and quality of life. Primary Author and Speaker: Mayra Del Real Additional Authors and Speakers: Marie Holmefur, Gunnel Janeslätt, Afsaneh Roshanay, Kajsa Lidstroem Holmqvist, and Patrik Arvidsson

Occupational therapy interventions in child and adolescent mental health to increase participation: A mixed methods systematic review

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.

Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Aim and Background: Occupations are everyday activities that help occupy our time and provide us with a sense of purpose in life. Adolescence is a unique stage of life when individuals experience occupational change that assists with preparation for adulthood. Participation in occupations is linked to health and wellbeing. Existing literature on occupational participation appears to combine adolescents’ and children’s experiences. Due to the unique nature of adolescence and an increased focus on service development and re-design for all age groups in Australia since the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, this scoping review sought to explore Occupational Therapy interventions that promote adolescents’ participation in everyday occupations. Design and Methods: A systematic search of eight databases for peer reviewed papers published between 2008 and 2018 was conducted. The PRISMA guidelines were used to guide the review processes. Study selection criteria focussed&#x0D; &#x0D; on Occupational Therapy interventions promoting participation in everyday occupations for adolescents (between 10 to 19 years of age). The data was charted and synthesised to identify key features of the interventions. Results: The 26 included studies revealed various intervention types and adolescent groups. The majority of the interventions targeted adolescents with physical disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. Many studies focussed on promoting functional independence in work, personal care, social participation and health management. Features of interventions include collaborative (with the adolescent and family) intervention goal setting and evaluation processes, as well as the use of technology. The majority of the papers reported positive outcomes, however mixed results were also identified. The findings provide guidance for adolescent service development and re-design by identifying the areas of occupation and features of programs, documented in Occupational Therapy-specific literature. Future reviews can extend our understanding further by incorporating by including publications that focus on assessment and other roles of Occupational Therapists.&#x0D; Keywords: participation, occupation, Occupational Therapy, adolescents&#x0D;

Associations Between Meaning of Everyday Activities and Participation Among Children.

The subjective meaning that people attach to their occupations may explain the association among participation, health, and well-being. To date, the subjective meaning of occupation among children has mostly been studied through qualitative studies. No study has yet quantitatively assessed the perceived meaning of everyday activities among children. Moreover, no study has assessed the associations between perceived meaning and actual participation. To explore the perceived meaning-value, challenge, felt time, and autonomy-that typically developing children attribute to their everyday activities and to assess the correlations between children's perceived meaning and their participation as assessed by parents. Cross-sectional study. Community. A convenience sample of 60 Israeli children (ages 6-12 yr) and their parents. Parents completed the Children Participation Questionnaire-School, and children completed the Perceived Meaning of Occupation Questionnaire (PMOQ). Children valued their activities, they perceived the challenge as low, they felt that the time was almost equally distributed between time passing quickly and passing slowly, and they felt autonomous. The subjective perceived meanings were moderately correlated with the children's actual participation. Children are capable of reflecting on the meaning of their everyday activities. The PMOQ may assist occupational therapy practitioners in eliciting their young clients' perspectives regarding their everyday occupations. The results contribute to the occupational science literature in the context of child development. The PMOQ enables children to reflect on their subjective perceived meanings of occupations. The subjective perceived meanings of occupations are moderately correlated with the children's actual participation. The PMOQ may broaden the potential pathways to facilitating children's meaningful participation in everyday occupations.

Height matters: The experiences of very tall young British adults in relation to managing everyday occupations

ABSTRACTAdults with a very tall stature (above the 97th percentile for height) encounter challenges with engagement in everyday occupations. Conversely, work-related opportunities and benefits for the taller worker have been identified. This interpretive phenomenological study captured the occupational narratives of very tall young British adults in relation to how the diversity of their stature affects participation in everyday occupations. Eight participants between the ages of 18 and 40 years engaged in an individual interview to share their experiences. Analysis of the data produced two super-ordinate themes, ‘Fitting into an average height world’ and ‘Playing to Strengths’. Challenges to occupational engagement and performance have necessitated strategies involving compromise. In some instances, reduction in occupational choice has occurred because tall stature has precluded engagement. Conversely, occupations have been chosen by participants for which height is an advantage, thereby making the most of a stature that cannot be changed. Findings imply that very tall stature affects occupational choice, which in turn shapes identity.

Occupational therapy interventions in child and adolescent mental health: a mixed methods systematic review protocol.

The question of this review is: what is the effectiveness of occupational therapy on participation in everyday occupations for children and adolescents with mental health difficulties? The objective is to identify the evidence of occupational therapy interventions that are occupation-based and/or occupation-focused.The quantitative component of the review will consider studies that evaluate the effectiveness of occupation-based and/or occupation-focused interventions; the qualitative component of this review will consider studies that investigate the experiences of these interventions, and the textual component of this review will consider publications that describe these occupational therapy interventions.The quantitative objective is to identify the effectiveness of occupational therapy on participation in everyday occupations for children and adolescents with mental health difficulties.The qualitative objective is to identify the experiences of occupational therapy interventions on participation for children and adolescents with mental health difficulties in everyday activities.The textual objective is to identify narrative, text and opinion about occupational therapy interventions on the participation of children and adolescents mental health that have yet to be subjected to empirical analysis.

Qigong Sensory Training for Autism: Promising Effects on Sensory Processing, Self-Regulation, and Parenting Stress

Abstract Date Presented 4/1/2017 Preliminary results of an evidence-based pilot project with young children with or at risk for autism demonstrated that Qigong Sensory Training promoted participation in everyday occupations by improving sensory processing and self-regulation by 18% and decreasing parenting stress by 30%. Primary Author and Speaker: Orit Tal-Atzili

Association between satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations after stroke

Background: Within occupational therapy, it is assumed that individuals are satisfied when participating in everyday occupations that they want to do. However, there is little empirical evidence to show this.Aims: The aim of this study is to explore and describe the relation between satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations in a Swedish cohort, 5 years post stroke.Methods: Sixty-nine persons responded to the Occupational Gaps Questionnaire (OGQ). The questionnaire measures subjective restrictions in participation, i.e. the discrepancy between doing and wanting to do 30 different occupations in everyday life, and satisfaction per activity. Results were analysed with McNemar/chi-square.Results: Seventy percent of the persons perceived participation restrictions. Individuals that did not perceive restrictions in their participation had a significantly higher level of satisfaction (p = .002) compared to those that had restrictions. Participants that performed activities that they wanted to do report between 79 and 100% satisfaction per activity.Conclusion: In this cohort, there was a significant association between satisfaction and participating in everyday occupations one wants to do, showing that satisfaction is an important aspect of participation and substantiates a basic assumption within occupational therapy. The complexity of measuring satisfaction and participation in everyday occupations is discussed.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of a client-centred, activities of daily living intervention for people with stroke: one year follow-up of caregivers

Objective: Compare caregiver burden, provision of informal care, participation in everyday occupations and life satisfaction of caregivers to people with stroke, who either had received a client-centred, activities of daily living intervention or usual activities of daily living interventions. Design: A multicentre cluster randomized controlled trial in which 16 rehabilitation units were randomly assigned to deliver a client-centred, activities of daily living intervention or usual activities of daily living interventions. Caregiver outcomes were compared cross-sectionally at 12 months and changes in outcomes between three and 12 months after people with stroke were included in the study. Setting: Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. Participants: Caregivers of people with stroke enrolled in the trial. Intervention: A client-centred, activities of daily living intervention aiming to increase agency in daily activities and participation in everyday life for people after stroke. Main measures: Caregiver Burden Scale, Occupational Gaps Questionnaire, LiSat-11. Results: There were no differences in outcomes between caregivers in the client-centred, activities of daily living (n = 88) and the usual activities of daily living (n = 95) group at 12 months. The caregiver burden score was 42.7 vs. 41.8, p = 0.75, mean occupational gaps were 3.5 vs. 4.0, p = 0.52 and satisfaction with life was 53% vs. 50%, p = 0.87. There were no differences in changes between three and 12 months. However, within groups there were significant differences in caregiver burden, factor general strain, for caregivers in the client-centred, activities of daily living group, and in provision of informal care for the usual activities of daily living group. Conclusion: The client-centred intervention did not bring about any difference between caregiver-groups, but within groups some difference was found for caregiver burden and informal care.

Photo-Interviewing to Explore Everyday Occupation: Benefits and Issues

This article sheds light on the potential and the limitations of photo-interviewing for the study of human occupation and, in so doing, reflects the rapid growth in the use of participatory visual methods in a number of other disciplines. Drawing from a study that explored first person perspectives of participation in everyday occupations by people with osteoarthritis of the hand, the paper considers methodological issues related to using participatory visual methods. Participants were asked to generate photographs depicting aspects of their lived experiences, which were then used for photo-interviewing. Empirical data are presented that emphasize the productiveness of participants’ verbal interpretation of photographs. Photo-interviewing was found to engage participants in reflections on everyday life to a greater extent than conventional interviews and proved to be particularly well suited to generating knowledge of embodied everyday life experiences. Despite the fact that there were a number of methodological issues that require close consideration, when used appropriately visual research methodologies may help researchers to access rich information about everyday living that may otherwise be lost in conventional interviewing.

Does a Falls Prevention Program Impact Perceived Participation in Everyday Occupations? A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary, client-centered, fall prevention program on the experiences of participation and autonomy in everyday occupations among community-dwelling older adults. In total, 131 older adults (65+) were included and randomly allocated into two groups. Intention-to-treat analysis was used. Results of this pilot study showed that the program had a limited effect on the subjective experiences of participation and autonomy in everyday occupations among the participants. However, a trend of increased perceived participation and a decrease in the experience of perceived problems with participation among the participants in the intervention group was shown. Perceived participation and autonomy seem to be subjective experiences, and they seem to vary depending on the individual. To properly understand the impact of fall prevention interventions on participation and autonomy, measurements that capture both subjective and objective experiences are essential to use.

Sexual Assault: Building the Evidence for Occupational Therapy

Abstract Date Presented 4/16/2015 This study explored how individuals who have reported a history of sexual assault engage in occupations that require touch. Results indicate that sexual assault had a statistically significant effect on an individual’s participation in everyday occupations.

Participation in everyday life and life satisfaction in persons with stroke and their caregivers 3-6 months after onset.

To explore and describe persons with stroke and their caregivers' restrictions in participation in everyday occupations, i.e. occupational gaps, 3-6 months post-stroke, in relation to life satisfaction, combined life satisfaction, care-giver burden, perceived impact of stroke, and activities of daily living. Cross-sectional study. Persons with stroke and their caregivers (105 dyads). The Occupational Gaps Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Checklist, Caregiver Burden Scale, Stroke Impact Scale and Barthel Index were used. Correlations were analysed with Spearman's rank, and regression analyses used life satisfaction as the dependent variable. At least one person in 86% of the dyads perceived restrictions in participation, with the most common gap in travelling for pleasure. Correlations were low between the numbers of occupational gaps and life satisfaction (R = -0.33, R = -0.31); however, life satisfaction accounted for occupational gaps both for persons with stroke and for caregivers. A greater number of occupational gaps were perceived in the dyads with combined low levels of life satisfaction compared with those with combined high levels of life satisfaction. Participation in everyday occupations is related to life satisfaction even for caregivers of persons with stroke. The results of this study add to our knowledge about the stroke-caregiver dyad and will help to inform family-centred approaches within stroke rehabilitation.

Occupational Justice—Bridging theory and practice

The evolving theory of occupational justice links the concept to social justice and to concerns for a justice of difference: a justice that recognizes occupational rights to inclusive participation in everyday occupations for all persons in society, regardless of age, ability, gender, social class, or other differences. The purpose of this descriptive paper is to inspire and empower health professionals to build a theoretical bridge to practice with an occupational justice lens. Using illustrations from a study of leisure and the use of everyday technology in the lives of very old people in Northern Sweden, the authors argue that an occupational justice lens may inspire and empower health professionals to engage in critical dialogue on occupational justice; use global thinking about occupation, health, justice, and the environment; and combine population and individualized approaches. The authors propose that taking these initiatives to bridge theory and practice will energize health professionals to enable inclusive participation in everyday occupations in diverse contexts.

Experiences of participation in everyday occupations among persons aging with a tetraplegia

Purpose: This study aimed to gain understanding of participation in everyday occupations through life stories of persons aging with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: A narrative method was used for data collection and a paradigmatic analysis was used to analyze data. Results: The analysis resulted in three themes that illustrate how the participants acted to participate in everyday occupations, how that changed over time, and some concerns about their future. The first theme illustrates how participants following SCI acted to become agents of their lives and participate in everyday occupations. The second theme illustrates how participants had to prioritize participation in meaningful occupations due to personal and environmental factors. The third theme shows how they had to try new strategies to continue participation in occupations, due to secondary health complications related to aging. Conclusions: This study captures how persons aging with tetraplegia acted to participate in everyday occupations from soon after the injury until several decades later. In addition, their ability to act and participate changed over time. Our findings provide knowledge that can guide clinicians in their work within this complex area of rehabilitation. Besides, it can also guide the work with policy recommendations for healthcare and social service systems.Implications for RehabilitationAging with a SCI is a complex daily struggle in order to be able to continue acting and participating in everyday occupations, and thereby this gives implications for a lifelong support.This study provides knowledge that can guide clinicians in their work within this complex area of rehabilitation.Knowledge from this study can guide the work with policy recommendations for healthcare and social service systems.