Service dogs: a compensatory resource to improve function.

Objective. This study examined the physical, emotional, social, and economic functions of service dogs, the training methods for service dog/owner teams, and problems encountered with service dogs in relationship to occupational therapy literature and domain of concern. Method. A 31-question survey was developed based on the literature and Uniform Terminology (AOTA, 1994) and was completed by 202 service dog owners from 40 states and Canada. Results. Owners reported that service dogs assisted them in 28 functional tasks, helped them to feel safe, increased their social interaction, and reduced physical assistance by others. Problems with service dogs included difficulty with dog maintenance and public awareness of their role as a worker or assistant to the owner. Over 80% of respondents desired additional training in alternative ways to perform daily living tasks. Conclusion. The use of service dogs is consistent with the occupational therapy domain of concern and practice. Occupational therapists might collaborate with service dog trainers and potential owners in referral, assessment, training, and follow-up services.

Relationship between choice and quality of life among residents in long-term-care facilities.

OBJECTIVE: This study tested the association between perceptions of personal control and quality of life among older persons. METHOD: Two self-report instruments. The Quality of Life Rating (QOLR) and the Duncan Choice Index (DCI), were administered to 21 residents in a long-term-care facility. The DCI was developed for this study to measure the amount of choice available in 29 self-care and leisure activities. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation (r = .54; p = .01) between the amount of choice residents perceive they have and their quality of life was found. The DCI was shown to be reliable with preliminary evidence of construct validity. CONCLUSION: Enhancing personal control in everyday life may be associated with improved quality of life. Occupational therapy strategies to empower residents through increasing choice and control include increasing community in the facility emphasizing personal responsibility, and enabling choices in everyday tasks.

Treating dementia: the complementing team approach of occupational therapy and psychology.

Dementia is a chronic progressive disorder that necessitates an interdisciplinary team approach to provide the highest quality of health care. The purpose of this article is to describe and promote the collaboration of psychologists and occupational therapists as key interdisciplinary team members. Multiple sources were referenced to develop and describe an interdisciplinary team model. Occupational therapists possess skills in understanding function, maximizing residual strengths, defining small changes, modifying the environment, and developing caregiver strengths and compensations. These skills can complement the skills of psychologists in understanding behavior and emotion, developing behavioral interventions, supporting team development, and providing psychosocial support to caregivers.

Social psychological analysis of facilitated communication: implications for education.

Despite lack of empirical support, facilitated communication was rapidly adopted and used with individuals who have severe communication disorders. An overview of the psychological literature was provided here to support theoretical explanations for this rapid adoption. The literature suggests that cognitive biases, ambiguous stimuli, and biases in data may be associated with a tendency to adopt interventions such as facilitated communication. Psychosocial influences associated with autism, the helping relationship, and the professional career cycle may enhance a readiness to adopt alternative treatments. Social influences may create an environment in which fads arise. Suggestions were provided for students and professionals in the broad fields of rehabilitation and education on how to improve their participation in developing and monitoring innovative treatment methods.

Content revision in adolescent psychosocial occupational therapy.

A review of the literature and student feedback suggested a need for content revision in a course on occupational therapy with the adolescent. Unlike any other age group in the United States, the death rate for adolescents from injuries/accidents, suicide and homicide is rapidly rising (McAnarney, Kreipe, & Orr, 1992). High risk behaviors of substance abuse, sexual activity, and vehicle accidents also account for many adolescent deaths. Given the state of rapid change in the challenges faced by adolescents and the many diagnostic conditions that initially present in adolescence and are the focus of occupational therapy intervention, systematic and comprehensive course content revision of the psychosocial aspects of this adolescent course were initiated. The purpose of this ''classroom research'' project was to identify specific psychosocial topics that students perceived should be included to help them learn about providing occupational therapy services to the adolescent. The method used to collect data was a Delphi technique called the Group Instructional Feedback Technique (GIFT). Findings suggest that presentation of specific topics on teenage pregnancy and sexuality, violence, and situations in which interpersonal losses occur may enhance student learning and preparation for practice. The GIFT technique may have application to other topics in occupational therapy education.

Autistic disorder: a neuropsychological enigma.

Autism is increasingly viewed as an expression of an unidentified neurological disorder. Because understanding of neurological dysfunction is basic to evaluation and treatment in occupational therapy, this article provides a comprehensive and critical review of the literature since 1985 concerning the neuropsychology of autistic disorder. The research is categorized into four basic types: (a) neuropsychological testing of functional abilities, (b) treatment studies based on neuropsychological hypotheses, (c) autistic-related diseases and genetic disorders, and (d) neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies. The research shows a spectrum of neurological impairments within the brain stem, cerebellum, midbrain, and frontal lobe. These impairments are associated with deficits in socioemotional skills, sensory processing, motor planning, and cognitive flexibility. This research suggests that persons with autistic disorder need evaluation and treatment of a wide spectrum of functional deficits.