Australian Occupational Therapy Journal

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...

INTRODUCTION: Transitioning into the role of a mother encompasses many physical and psychosocial changes, affecting the way a woman may function. Maternal health is an emerging area of practice for occupational therapists, and therefore, screening and assessment tools to support work in this area are needed. The Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF) is a quantitative outcome measure that is used by health professionals to assess maternal functioning. Currently, its ability to measure occupational performance is unclear...

INTRODUCTION: Meaningful occupational therapy interventions for neurodivergent, transition-age adolescents are understudied, and novel intervention approaches that are motivating to this population are needed. Accordingly, in this study we explored the acceptability and impact of a combined life skills/adventure therapy (LS/AT) intervention program for addressing self-identified goals for adolescents with regulation- and sensory-based challenges. METHODS: We used a convergent mixed-methods design...

BACKGROUND: The cornerstone of a strong profession is the research that supports its knowledge base and practice. However, little is known about the range of international occupational therapy research. OBJECTIVE: To explore the range and diversity of the international occupational therapy research from published peer reviewed literature in English during the year 2018. METHODOLOGY: Limited to 2018, a review was conducted of sources from i) health-related search engines using search terms associated with occupational therapy practice, and ii) content pages of occupational therapy publications...

INTRODUCTION: Occupational therapy students need to be ready to work autonomously in a range of environments as soon as they complete their degree. Practice education experiences are considered key to students developing the competencies that autonomous work requires. To function autonomously in practice environments, it is argued that practitioners need to be able to judge the quality of their own work and the work of others. This is referred to as evaluative judgement. However, there is limited empirical literature relating to evaluative judgement and even less exploring the concept within occupational therapy...

INTRODUCTION: Successful return to pre-injury occupational performance following distal radius fracture (DRF) may be influenced by person and environment factors such as pain, age, social support, and socioeconomic status. The primary aim of this study was to explore Australian hand therapists' current clinical practice and determine whether they consider these factors during the management of DRF. METHODS: A mixed methods online survey was distributed to members of the Australian Hand Therapy Association...

INTRODUCTION: People with schizophrenia are more likely to be hospitalised than any other psychiatric diagnosis. Occupational therapists working in mental health are often required to assess and recommend supports that will assist people with schizophrenia to live successfully in the community. There is little research exploring consumer perspectives regarding the support they find useful to stay out of the hospital. The aim of this study was to explore what supports people living with schizophrenia identify as helping them to live in the community and stay out of the hospital...

INTRODUCTION: Standardised testing is crucial for autistic children to receive appropriate interventions, necessary services, and funding. Behaviours associated with autism can hinder children's test performance and participation. The 18-item, two-page Occupational Therapy Observation Tool-Adjustment Support Details (OTOT-ASD) is used in conjunction with standardised assessments. The OTOT-ASD enables the recording of autism-related behaviours and the reasonable assessment accommodations made to support participation in testing...

INTRODUCTION: Older adults living with dementia in residential aged care homes receive physical care but may have limited access to meaningful engagement. Due to its multimodal and versatile nature, virtual reality (VR) is speculated to be an effective means of meaningfully engaging residents individually and/or in groups. However, there is little evidence regarding its efficacy as a means of meaningfully engaging older adults living with dementia. The objective of this scoping review is to identify and synthesise published research investigating the use of VR technology in promoting the meaningful engagement of older adults living with dementia in residential aged care facilities...

BACKGROUND: Unemployment rates for people living with mental illness remain persistently high. Individual Placement Support (IPS) is an evidence-based employment model that supports people with severe mental illness to gain employment. Although carers provide emotional and instrumental support for people with mental illness, there is limited research exploring carers' perspectives of IPS. AIMS: To explore carers' perspectives of their experience as caregivers of individuals living with mental illness who have participated in IPS...

INTRODUCTION: This review aimed to retrieve and collate a list of culturally relevant mothering occupations in the New Zealand context with mothers positioned as experts of their experience. Mothering occupations influence wellbeing and this study aimed to better inform on the daily occupations mothers participate in that contribute to feelings of maternal confidence. METHODS: Two main sources were used to identify mothering occupations: A systematic search of mothering literature, and participant additions...

INTRODUCTION: Measures of participation restrictions in daily life occupations are not typically used and may aid discharge planning and demonstrate the impact of occupational therapy services in inpatient settings. The overall aim of this mixed-methods study was to test the feasibility of relevant outcome measures by (1) investigating which of the three identified measures-the Home Support Needs Assessment, the Personal Care Participation Assessment and Resource Tool, and the Functional Autonomy Measurement System-best identifies meaningful changes in participation restrictions in daily life occupations required for community life; and (2) investigating the acceptability, usefulness, and feasibility of each measure to support inpatient practice...

INTRODUCTION: The creation of age-friendly home environments enables middle-aged and older aged people to live independently at home while adapting to age-related changes. Little is currently known about existing home hazards that may potentially hinder healthy older people as they age. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of healthy adults who received an age-friendly home environment assessment conducted by an occupational therapist. Adults aged 60 and over, without significant disability, living in homes within metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia were recruited through community advertising...

INTRODUCTION: Bed and chair sensor alarms are commonly used for falls prevention in hospitals, despite questionable efficacy. Research analysing older adults' experiences of alarms is scarce, and adults with cognitive impairment are consistently excluded. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore how older adults with cognitive impairment perceive and experience falls prevention alarms in hospital. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design investigated older adults' experiences of alarms in a Geriatric Evaluation and Management ward in Melbourne...

INTRODUCTION: Participation in work and employment is a milestone of adulthood. People returning to work after burn injury may have physical, psychological, social, and environmental barriers to overcome in order to resume their pre-injury employment. The aim of this paper is to evaluate qualitative findings regarding return-to-employment after burn injury. METHODS: A qualitative synthesis was conducted based on the qualitative findings of an earlier mixed methods review...

INTRODUCTION: The Multiple Errands Test (MET) is a complex, performance-based assessment that is useful for characterising the impact of impairments of executive function on everyday activities. However, performance variance amongst those without neurological pathology, and the impact of non-cognitive factors on this, requires further investigation. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analytic study, conducted with a convenience sample of 40 neurologically intact community-dwelling Australian adults...

INTRODUCTION: Telehealth interventions have the potential to enhance access to care and improve efficiency while reducing the burden on patients. Although telehealth interventions are well accepted and adopted in physical therapy, their usage in occupational therapy for older adults is less common, and limited information exists regarding their setting and context. OBJECTIVE: To provide an inventory and synthesis of telehealth interventions in occupational therapy for older adults...

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INTRODUCTION: Self-determination is a core component of mental health recovery and a predictor of positive outcomes. The literature calls for occupational therapists to lead practice change to greater recovery-orientation, including facilitating people's self-determination. However, systemic challenges thwart translation of policy into practice and therapists report a lack of confidence in implementing recovery-oriented principles. This study aimed to understand the strategies that mental health occupational therapists employ to support people's self-determination...

INTRODUCTION: Transition from primary school to high school can be a time of significant stress for young people. Social connection may mitigate the stress experienced by young people, yet their play activities, which are a key source of connection and friendship, have not been examined. The aim of the study was to capture the play behaviours of children in outdoor school environments. METHODS: Children's play behaviours in their final year of primary school and those in their first year of high school were captured using a standardised tool (Tool for Observing Play Outdoors)...