Evaluation of the effect of using online database to enhance students' learning of occupational therapy theories in occupational therapy education.

Background: Learning about occupational therapy theories is crucial to occupational therapy education, and an online database is developed to facilitate students' learning of occupational therapy theories in this study. Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of this database on users' experiences. Methods: A mixed-method approach, including surveys and focus groups, was used. First- and third-year students who had studied occupational therapy theory at a university participated in this study. Results: One-hundred-and-twenty students completed the surveys, and 11 students participated in the focus groups. The students demonstrated a significant increase in the number of theories they named and their perceived understanding of theories after the semester. They rated the content, utility and satisfaction with the database in facilitating their understanding/learning of theories as moderate-good. Based on qualitative data, it appeared that the database provided specific information about occupational therapy theories and facilitated students' learning and level of interest in learning about them. However, the first-year students who accessed the database showed a significantly decreased level of interest in learning about theories, but such the decrease was not found in the third-year students. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that the use of an online database may enhance students' learning about occupational therapy theories in educational settings.

Translation and validation of the Reaction to Impairment and Disability Inventory for Chinese population in Hong Kong.

PURPOSE: This study translated the reaction to impairment and disability inventory (RIDI) to Chinese and validated it for use in Hong Kong. METHODS: We conducted an instrument validation of the Chinese RIDI, with a sample of 244 persons with CID. The research questionnaire collected demographic information, illness-related variables, the Chinese version of RIDI (C-RIDI), and measures of resilience and well-being. We examined the factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and criterion-related validity of the C-RIDI. RESULTS: The C-RIDI has good content validity and no major changes to the translated items were needed for the use in Hong Kong. For factor structure, we replicated the results of Livneh et al. The C-RIDI has two second-order factors of adaptive and nonadaptive scales, which interact with the two denial subscales. Internal consistency of the subscales is satisfactory except for the three-item denial subscales. Correlations of the C-RIDI subscales with illness-related variables, resilience, and mental well-being are consistent with our hypotheses and provide support for the convergent and criterion-related validity of the scale. CONCLUSIONS: The C-RIDI has satisfactory psychometric properties. The study results support its internal consistency, convergent validity, criterion-related validity, and factorial validity.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONEmotional adjustment to chronic illness and disability is a key determinant of illness self-management, mental well-being, and quality of life.The study translated the reaction to impairment and disability inventory into Chinese and conducted a psychometric evaluation of the translated instrument.The Chinese RIDI had a similar second-order factor structure as in the validation studies of the English version, and result of this confirmatory factor analysis support the theory underlying the design of the RIDI.The Chinese RIDI had satisfactory convergent and criterion-related validity and internal consistency, and is ready for application in rehabilitation practice and research in the Chinese context.