Multi-stakeholder perspectives on information communication technology training for older adults: implications for teaching and learning.

Objectives: The objective of this research was to identify and conceptualize barriers and strategies for effective implementation of information communication technology (ICT) training for older adults. Methods: A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyze qualitative data from 61 participants in three stakeholder groups: older-adult ICT trainees, care providers and ICT trainers. Results: Care providers expressed older adults' reluctance, lack of affinity, fears and socio-contextual attributes as barriers to overcome with ICT training. ICT trainers highlighted motivation, trainer-trainee relationship, patience, self-reliance and mutual value as strategic themes. ICT trainees elucidated occupational accomplishment, challenges and a sense of competence as themes from their experience with training. Discussion: While digital literacy and skill building have traditionally been the key focus of ageing-centred ICT training, a deeper approach to address internal (personal) and external (socio-contextual) barriers, as conceptualized in the study finding, is vital in yielding successful outcomes. Implications for rehabilitation Information communication technology (ICT) is a vital resource for older adults to age-in-place and for health professionals in delivery of tele-rehabilitation. Family members and care providers realize the scope of ICT for ageing-in-place but raise doubts on the inherent motivation and abilities of older adults to adopt ICT. On the other hand, older adults who engage in one-on-one ICT training value their new-found sense of accomplishment and competence in using the Internet and social media. Graduate students who provided the training greatly appreciate their own learning experience, and stress the need for mutual trust, patience and simplicity in teaching ICT. A major precursor to imparting digital literacy and skills in older adults who lack ICT exposure is to help them overcome deep-seated attitudinal and socio-contextual barriers through a one-on-one approach.

A home-based individualized information communication technology training program for older adults: a demonstration of effectiveness and value.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the effectiveness and value of a home-based information communication technology (ICT) training program for older adults. METHODS: Thirteen older adults were provided in-home ICT training by graduate occupational therapy students using an iPad. The breadth and frequency of ICT use, perspectives on technology, and perceived independence were recorded at baseline, during the 3-month training and at follow-up, along with an end-of-study questionnaire. Non-parametric Friedman analysis was conducted to verify trends in the outcome measures. The qualitative data were examined by content analysis. RESULTS: Participants' breadth of ICT activities showed a significant trend across 6 months. Leisure accounted for the significant increase, while health management and social connections activities increased modestly. A positive trend in participants' perspectives on technology was evident along with a marginal increase in perceived independence. Participants' perspectives were thematically categorized as technology experiences, interactions with coach, training approach, and specific activities. As reflection of the training program's value, 12 of the 13 participants took ownership of the iPad at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: Building capacity of older adults to utilize the multifaceted potential of ICT is critical in addressing declines in health, impending disabilities, and social isolation. Implications for Rehabilitation A one-on-one home-based individualized information communication technology (ICT) training program for older adults could result in a progressive increase in the breadth of online activities carried out by them. Specifically, the increase in their usage of ICT could be expected in leisure-based online activities. Individualized training programs designed based on needs, priorities, and learning style of older adults could have a positive impact on their technological perspectives and intrinsic motivation to adopt ICT.

College and combat trauma: an insider's perspective of the post-secondary education experience shared by service members managing neurobehavioral symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Enrolling in post-secondary education is common among military service members returning from combat deployments, but recent research shows service members who present with neurobehavioral symptoms consistent with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at risk for psychosocial and academic difficulty. OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study was conducted to examine the academic experiences of service members through in-depth qualitative analysis. METHODS: An initial survey was conducted at a public university to measure self-reported academic achievement and neurobehavioral symptoms experienced by service members (n = 48). Then, follow-up interviews were solicited from a sub-sample (n = 5) of participants to gain an in-depth understanding of their transition, social, and academic experiences. RESULTS: The results revealed both the day-to-day challenges participants faced while adjusting to post-secondary life and how neurobehavioral symptoms associated with combat trauma interacted with their learning experiences. The findings indicated participants did not perceive neurobehavioral symptoms as particularly deleterious to their learning thereby highlighting the potentially integral role of coping strategies and motivation in post-secondary success. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the importance of understanding not only the adverse impact of neurobehavioral symptoms but the factors that promote resilience among military service members in post-secondary education.

Preliminary examination of the impact of traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder on self-regulated learning and academic achievement among military service members enrolled in postsecondary education.

OBJECTIVE: Delineate the effects of self-reported traumatic brain injury (TBI) or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on self-regulated learning and academic achievement for university-enrolled military Service members. PARTICIPANTS: Students (N = 192) from 8 regionally diverse universities, representing an estimated 6% of Service members enrolled across schools. SETTING: Public universities that are members of the Servicemember Opportunity College consortium. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study evaluating the relationships between self-reported TBI, PTSD, and self-regulated learning variables and their contribution to academic achievement. MAIN MEASURES: Self-report of military service; symptoms of TBI and PTSD; self-regulation strategies including effort, time/environment regulation, and academic self-efficacy; and grade point average (GPA). RESULTS: There was no effect of self-reported TBI or PTSD on GPA, effort regulation, or time/environment regulation strategies; however, participants with TBI or PTSD reported significantly lower academic self-efficacy. Multiple regression analysis revealed self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of GPA among all participants, followed by military rank. CONCLUSION: The sample consisted of high achieving students responsive to a university administrator, which raises the possibility of sampling bias. Because of the low recruitment rate for this study and lack of published research on this subject, replicating the results is necessary before drawing generalizable conclusions about the population.

Childhood obesity: effects on children's participation, mental health, and psychosocial development.

Obesity and being overweight in a child significantly affects his or her healthy development hence there is an understandable focus in the occupational therapy literature on the physical health and difficulties in motor function related to obesity. However, this emphasis somewhat overshadows the psychosocial issues of growing-up obese or overweight. The objective of this paper is to apprise readers of the salient multiple psychosocial sequelae associated with childhood obesity including weight bias and victimization. A conceptual systems framework that supports a multifaceted approach to the occupational and developmental challenges on a population and/or individual level is discussed.

"I do the best I can": caregivers' perceptions of informal caregiving for older adults in Belize.

In this first study of informal caregiving for older adults in Belize, 29 caregivers described their experiences of caregiving, how they perceived and managed the role, and what critical resources they needed. The three main themes identified in the caregiver interviews were the experiences of caregivers, the rewards of caregiving, and navigating the caregiver role. Caregivers identified positively with the role of care provider and they did not describe it as burdensome nor did they describe role strain. However, caregivers' complaints of poor physical health might be construed as somatic expressions of strain. The caregivers' religiosity was salient to how they viewed and coped with their caregiver role. In conclusion, culture appears to influence positively caregivers' beliefs and perceptions of caregiving in Belize. However, the expected increase in the older population and current circumstances of many caregivers and care recipients means there is a critical need for resources to support caregivers and promote aging in place.

Prejudicial attitudes toward clients who are obese: measuring implicit attitudes of occupational therapy students.

ABSTRACT Stigmatizing attitudes can undermine the quality of health care. This study examines the attitudes and beliefs of 189 occupational therapy students toward clients who are obese. Results indicate that the occupational therapy students were more likely to make negative evaluations of clients who were obese. The univariate between-subjects analysis of the Attitudes Toward Obesity-Prejudicial Evaluation and Social Interaction Scale scores found that the difference between the means for overweight and average-weight clients for Social Distance and Judgment were statistically significant (t(187) = 2.06, p = .04; t(187) = -2.008, p = .04). There was also a statistically significant difference between the Social Distance score means for female and male clients (t(187) = -2.12, p = .03). The explicit measures, the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons and the Beliefs About Obese Persons scores, showed that many students in the sample had stereotypical beliefs and, to a lesser extent, had negative attitudes about obesity. These results add support to the inclusion in occupational therapy curricula content that specifically addresses the awareness of stigmatizing stereotypes and attitudes toward clients who are obese.

Bring the popcorn: using film to teach sexual and reproductive health.

The use of film as a teaching modality offers an opportunity for nursing students to explore the intersections of science, theory, and personal values prior to caring for clients with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs. Although the use of a broad range of arts and humanities modalities in the classroom is described in the literature, the use of film in relationship to teaching SRH has not been explored. Furthermore, there is a paucity of literature regarding the didactic or clinical teaching of SRH in nursing education. This article provides a framework for incorporating film as a teaching strategy into both case-based and problem-based teaching pedagogies. Reviews and discussion questions of films are provided.

Service learning can make occupation-based practice a reality: a single case study.

ABSTRACT Service learning is philosophically congruent with the objectives of progressive occupational therapy curricula. This article presents a case-based research study that examined the attributes and outcomes of a service-learning course that included Level I fieldwork. Analysis of the case study identified three themes: (a) the translation of theory to practice, (b) the value of contextual learning, and (c) the gestalt of occupational awareness. Service learning can be considered a pedagogical [2] model that promotes the synthesis of conceptual models to clinical practice. Furthermore, it enables students to develop a professional and personal philosophy of occupation earlier in their careers.

A Personal Projects Analysis: examining adaptation to low back pain.

Personal Projects Analysis (PPA) offers an alternative approach to studying adaptation to illnesses. This study investigated adaptation to low back pain using PPA to examine the relationship between participants' perceptions of pain, and their functioning and well-being. Participants appraised their five most important projects on 26 dimensions, such as project value, success and difficulty. Factor analyses of the project ratings yielded five dispositions (Integrity, Personal Agency, Social Visibility, Pain Salience and Stressfulness). In regression analysis all five dispositions significantly predicted Physical and Social Function, Disruption of Roles, and Well-being. ;Pain Salience' was the strongest predictor of functional outcomes, and ;Stressfulness' was the best predictor of well-being.

Now let me tell you in my own words: narratives of acute and chronic low back pain.

PURPOSE: In the past, qualitative studies have focused on chronic low back pain (LBP), yet 90% of LBP is acute and episodic. The purpose of this study was to examine the broader experience (acute as well chronic) of LBP in the community. METHODS: This study was part of a Personal Project Analysis of adaptation to LBP. Participants answered an open-ended question that invited them to tell researchers about their LBP. The narratives were analysed using thematic content analysis and structure was analysed using the narrative types described in 'The Wounded Storyteller' (Frank A. The Wounded Story Teller: Body, Illness and Ethics. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press; 1995). FINDINGS: Two themes were identified: (1) the challenges to the authenticity of LBP and (2) the consequences of living with LBP, which had two threads: the disruption of life due to physical limitations, and the emotional distress incurred. The narratives were solely told as chaos narratives. CONCLUSIONS: The emotional and behavioural responses of individuals with LBP and the tensions that exist between the individual and others, especially healthcare providers, is explained in the context of LBP as a moral event. Understanding the narratives as chaos narratives provides insight into ways to improve the quality of the interactions between patients and health care providers.

A rehabilitation clients' recovery expectations and their relationship to functional outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between specifically defined expectations that clients have of rehabilitation and their actual outcomes as measured by the Short Form-36 Health Survey. This study with pretreatment and posttreatment measures was conducted at a medical service center where clients received comprehensive work rehabilitation. Twenty-four participants completed pretreatment and posttreatment instruments. The results indicated that, with one exception (a baseline expectation of strength and outcome of general health), no relationships were found between clients' expectations and rehabilitation outcomes. The researchers concluded that in this study there is little relationship between clients' expectations of recovery and rehabilitation outcomes and that new ways to conceptualize expectations may be needed.

Computer-mediated interdisciplinary teams: theory and reality.

The benefit of experience, tempered with the wisdom of hindsight and 5 years of text-based, asynchronous, computer-mediated, interdisciplinary team communications, provides the energy, insights and data shared in this article. Through the theoretical lens of group dynamics and the epistemology of interdisciplinary teaming, we analyze the interactions of a virtual interdisciplinary team to provide an understanding and appreciation of collaborative interdisciplinary communication in the context of interactive technologies. Whilst interactive technologies may require new patterns of language similar to that of learning a foreign language, what is communicated in the interdisciplinary team process does not change. Most important is the recognition that virtual teams, similar to their face-to-face counterparts, undergo the same challenges of interdisciplinary teaming and group developmental processes of formation: forming, storming, norming, performing, and transforming. After examining these dynamics of communication and collaboration in the context of the virtual team, the article concludes with guidelines facilitating interdisciplinary team computer-mediated communication.

Non-work factors associated with musculoskeletal upper extremity disorders in women: Beyond the work environment.

It is women who are predominantly affected by musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities (MSD/UE), especially those disorders attributed to repetitive strain or cumulative trauma. This study focuses on a female sample of supermarket employees and the effects of stress acquired from their non-work environments on the reporting of musculoskeletal symptoms. Stress and life events were shown to be positively associated with the presence of UE disorders and measures of intensity, duration, and frequency of pain. A multifactorial model for explaining the development of MSD/UE in female workers is proferred, while the significance of understanding the inter-relational nature of women's lives is underscored. Additionally, the study lends credence to the physiological underpinning of stress.