Gino S Panza, Amanda K Rounds, Rosanne DiZazzo-Miller, Andrew D Delgado, Andrew A Guccione
{"title":"The Effect of Overground Locomotor Training on Self-Efficacy Following Spinal Cord Injury: An Exploratory Study.","authors":"Gino S Panza, Amanda K Rounds, Rosanne DiZazzo-Miller, Andrew D Delgado, Andrew A Guccione","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2646496","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2646496","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study describes changes in movement self-efficacy following full-weight bearing overground locomotor training (OLT) in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries (iSCI). Movement self-efficacy was measured as confidence when completing physical actions as measured by the Outpatient Physical Therapy Improvement in Movement Assessment Log (OPTIMAL). Fifteen individuals with motor iSCI completed the initial 12 wk of training, and 14 after another 12 wk of OLT. The total OPTIMAL showed small effects from baseline to 24 wk of OLT and from 12 wk to 24 wk, with larger effects found in sub-tasks of the OPTIMAL. Post-hoc analysis found significant improvements in movement self-efficacy for squatting and hopping. Findings suggest movement self-efficacy improved with 12 and 24 wk of OLT, and that these changes may be different for those with higher or lower-level SCI. Improvements in movement self-efficacy may have implications for future rehabilitative care, including reduced burden on caregivers for individuals with SCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147515785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Henrietta Wiliamson McNary: On Setting Conceptual Foundations.","authors":"Kathlyn L Reed","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2631705","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2631705","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Henrietta Williamson McNary (1905-1962) was active in occupational therapy during a time that focused on the need to identity and articulate the conceptual foundations including defining the profession and explaining the principles, process, and procedures that established occupational therapy as an independent discipline as opposed to the limited role of physician extender that primarily carry out physicians' orders (Coulter & McNary, 1931). In addition, following World War II, the concept of rehabilitation involving the whole person (physical, mental, social and vocational) was introduced that expanded the existing concept of restoration which was limited to physical or mental function (West & McNary, 1956). More comprehensive client evaluation and client focused intervention gained traction. McNary was one of the principle speakers and writers to use her roles as AOTA president and program director as platforms for expressing her ideas.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147475803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Outcomes of Multidisciplinary Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Informed Training of Caregivers of Children and Teens in a Behavioral Health Day Program.","authors":"Amy Rosello, Marion Russell, Yongyue Qi, Keli Mu","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2640978","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2640978","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined the effectiveness of multidisciplinary dialectical behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy informed training for caregivers of youth in a day program setting. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used to assess the impact of multidisciplinary caregiver psychoeducation on caregiver stress and family function. Data was collected from 22 caregivers, revealing statistically significant improvements in caregiver stress and family functioning, suggesting that the caregiver education delivered within a day program setting is an effective intervention among families with children experiencing mental health challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147463938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Screener of Handwriting Proficiency: Student Performance and Expectations from Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade.","authors":"Denise K Donica, Paul Vos","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2637667","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2637667","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although handwriting skills are important for child development, there are limited screening tools available to measure print and cursive skills for performance or progress monitoring. The Screener of Handwriting Proficiency (SHP) is a quick non-standardized assessment designed to screen handwriting skills. A retrospective normative research design was used to begin establishing benchmarks using data of students who have completed the assessment compared to peers. The scores from kindergarten through fifth students collected up to three periods during the school year were compared to the assessment developer's expectations. All but one print criterion score increased in median score over the year for kindergarten through second grade with the most growth in kindergarten. Students progressed in all areas of cursive writing within the year except for fifth grade word skills with the most growth during third grade. The progression of handwriting expectations across grades and comparison to assessment developer's expectations are discussed to show gaps and alignments in addition to suggested updates for the assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Wilma l. West: A Visionary Leader, Change Agent, and Versatile Communicator.","authors":"Kathlyn L Reed","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2631706","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2631706","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper is a biographical summary of West's personal history and life. It also analyzes the subject areas in which West contributed to the occupational therapy profession by applying her individual knowledge and experience at just the right time or at other times by reinforcing and clarifying information already known.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-28"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146259400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the Impact of a Virtual Dementia Simulation on Occupational Therapy Students: A Mixed Methods Study of Empathy Cultivation.","authors":"Julie Larouche, Suzanne Parkman, Ashley Condon, AbouEl-Makarim Aboueissa","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2630705","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2630705","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a virtual dementia simulation on occupational therapy (OT) students' empathy levels and propose practical rationales for optimizing future dementia care. A within-subjects pre-post design was used to collect quantitative data. Qualitative data was collected through focus groups to provide contextual depth and insight into the quantitative data. Students (N = 39) participated in a one-time virtual dementia simulation and a one-hour focus group debriefing session. The Kiersma-Chen Empathy Revised Scale (KCES-R) was administered pre-survey and post-survey. Quantitative data revealed a significant difference in level of empathy pre- and immediate post-survey. Qualitative findings revealed four distinct themes: (1) Walk a Mile: Discovering Empathy, which explored personal empathy development; (2) System Overload, reflecting the complexity and intensity of the simulation; (3) Reflective Practitioner, highlighting the importance of self-reflection in professional growth; and (4) Context Matters, emphasizing the significance of understanding individual and systemic contexts in healthcare delivery. The themes collectively captured the transformative nature of the simulation experience and its potential to reshape students' professional perspectives and empathetic approaches to patient care. These findings support using virtual simulation in educational practice for healthcare students to increase empathy toward individuals with dementia.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146221628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hannah Oldenburg, Tamra Trenary, William Harmsen, Jessica Edelstein
{"title":"Using Standardized Cognitive Tools with General Medicine Populations and Impact on Hospital Readmission.","authors":"Hannah Oldenburg, Tamra Trenary, William Harmsen, Jessica Edelstein","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2631716","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2631716","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cognitive functioning is essential for participation in daily activities such as work, self-care, and home management. Occupational therapy practitioners play a key role in supporting these abilities through occupation-based interventions guided by standardized cognitive assessment. However, the use of such tools in acute care remains poorly understood, especially among the variety of general medicine populations occupational therapy serves in acute care. This cross-sectional, retrospective study aimed to describe the delivery of acute occupational therapy services including the types and frequency of cognitive evaluation tools administered and to examine the relationship between receipt of a cognitive evaluation and 30-day hospital readmission. Conducted at a single academic medical center, the study included 3,334 adult patients hospitalized on a general medicine unit who received occupational therapy services from an initial sample of 18,334 patients. Among the inclusion sample, 84.5% underwent a standardized cognitive assessment with receipt of a cognitive evaluation approaching significance for association of 30-day hospital readmission (<i>p</i> = .0537). Findings indicate that occupational therapy practitioners in acute care settings employ a variety of standardized cognitive screening and performance-based tools across diverse general medicine conditions and medical acuity. Further research is warranted to explore proximal factors, such as social support and prior functional performance, and their impact on 30-day hospital readmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146221663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Screening Driving Risk with the <i>DriveSafe DriveAware</i>: Application in Telehealth.","authors":"Ellen R Cahoon, Anne E Dickerson","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2625212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2625212","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With an aging population living longer with diverse medical conditions, screening tools to measure driving risk are needed. The use of virtually administered screening tools has the potential to improve access to medical or rehabilitation services for individuals. This study compared 50 community living older adults with driver's licenses on their performance using the app <i>DriveSafe DriveAware</i> under two clinician-administered conditions. All participants were randomly assigned to complete one administration in-person using a touchscreen tablet and the other by verbal responses <i>via</i> a virtual connection with a clinician. Using the intraclass correlation coefficient, it was 0.65 (95% Confidence Interval = 0.45 - 0.78); the two types of administration demonstrated moderate agreement with no order or gender effects. Normal aging differences were evident, but within the non-risk category. These results suggest that practitioners can use scores from the <i>DriveSafe DriveAware</i> regardless of administration in-person or through a virtual means of communication. However, caution should be used until further research with medically-at-risk drivers is completed.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146143988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fall Risk Assessments for Individuals with Visual Impairment: A Scoping Review of Questionnaire-Based Tools.","authors":"Sunkanmi Arogbokun, Sandra Owusu, Lauren Wheeler, Beth Barstow","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2623233","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2623233","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Individuals with visual impairment are at high risk of falls due to sensory, functional, and environmental challenges. Existing fall risk assessment tools rarely address vision-related challenges. This scoping review identified and summarized questionnaire-based tools used to assess fall risk in individuals with visual impairment to map the literature, highlight research gaps, and inform preventive strategies. Adhering to Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 19 studies met inclusion criteria, yielding 11 vision-specific questionnaires. Findings highlight gaps in evidence and indicate the need for future research examining measurement properties and developing approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring Occupational Therapists' Transition to Neurodiversity Affirming Practice: A Discourse Analysis.","authors":"Christie Welch, Kajaani Shanmugarajah, Muzi Li","doi":"10.1080/07380577.2026.2623234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2026.2623234","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study uses discourse analysis to examine the types of services occupational therapy private practice clinics claim to provide for autistic people as well as the roots and impacts of the language that is used on the clinics' websites to describe these services. We conducted a web-based search of relevant websites, using content from 24 sites. We examined the discursive practices contained on the websites and compared them to foundational tenets of neurodiversity affirming practice. We found that the discursive patterns on the sites reflect a complex, mixed, and varied array of language, beliefs, and practices, some of which align with neurodiversity affirming practice, some of which diverge, and some of which inhabit a \"grey zone\". While many occupational therapists express intentions to provide neuro-affirming care, the services described and language used often reveal underlying tensions or inconsistencies. We discuss these gaps between stated intentions and implicit beliefs. We suggest a need for deeper reflexivity and critical examination of how our communications, interventions, and understanding align with neurodiversity affirming principles. Finally, we offer concrete strategies for changing discursive practices to support occupational therapists in our shift toward neurodiversity affirming practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":46157,"journal":{"name":"OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}