Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

BACKGROUND: The the Self-Assessment of Modes Questionnaire (SAMQ) has been translated into Danish and culturally adapted (D-SAMQ), and aspects of validity and reliability have also been evaluated. However, no knowledge about the clinical utility of the D-SAMQ exists. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The aims were to investigate the clinical utility of the D-SAMQ among Danish occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy students (OTSs), and to determine differences in perceived clinical utility between the two groups...

BACKGROUND: Critical perspectives which focus on socio-political influences on occupation have gained increased attention within the occupational therapy profession. Critical disability studies (CDS) question prevailing assumptions about disability and how disabling ideologies and practices are perpetuated in society. Universal Design (UD) is a design approach that aims to operationalise issues of inclusion and justice. AIM: To identify and discuss how the tenets of CDS and UD can contribute to occupational therapy practice and research...

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been suggested that gender disparity in Occupational Therapy has to do with segregated gendered job norms that position female dominated professions as a 'step down' for many males. Interestingly, this suggestion was not underpinned by experiences of males in the profession. AIMS AND METHODS: Thirteen male Occupational Therapists with a variety of backgrounds were invited to this Round Table research, focussing on the broader issue of the existing gender imbalance in Occupational Therapy...

BACKGROUND: The assessment of work ability with reliable, thoroughly tested instruments, is central to evidence-based occupational therapy practice. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Finnish version of the WRI with a focus on construct validity and measurement precision. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-six WRI-FI assessments were performed by 19 occupational therapists in Finland...

BACKGROUND: The demand for employment of standardized evaluations is increasing. In Denmark, approximately 25% of all occupational therapists (OTs) are trained to use the standardized occupational therapy instrument Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). AIMS: To investigate the use of AMPS within Danish occupational therapy practice and determine factors supporting or hindering the use. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among OTs from various settings...

BACKGROUND: Picture My Participation (PMP) is a valid instrument for measuring participation of children with disabilities, but it has not yet been evaluated for its content validity for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in mainland China. AIM: To explore the content validity of the simplified Chinese version of PMP (PMP-C; Simplified) for children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children in mainland China. METHODS: A sample of children with ASD ( n  = 63) and TD children ( n  = 63) recruited through purposive sampling were interviewed using the PMP-C (Simplified), which contains 20 items of everyday activities...

BACKGROUND: Sick leave due to long-term stress is increasing in Finland and other Western countries. Occupational therapists might contribute to the prevention of and/or recovery from stress-related exhaustion. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To describe what is known about occupational therapy for stress-related exhaustion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A five-step scoping review included papers published in six databases from 2000 to 2022. Extracted data was summarized to show the occupational therapy contribution within the literature...

BACKGROUND: Limited time management skills cause problems in daily life for people with mild intellectual disability (ID) and "Let's Get Organized" (LGO) is a promising manual-based occupational therapy group intervention aiming to support management skills. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the applicability of the Swedish version of LGO-S by i) exploring enhancements in time management skills, satisfaction with daily occupations, and aspects of executive functioning in people with time-management difficulties and mild ID, and ii) describing clinical experiences of using the LGO-S for people with mild ID...

Background: Worldwide, the population is ageing, and the need for nursing homes is increasing. institutionalization and a culture change from task-orientated care delivery towards increased involvement and engagement in a meaningful everyday life are evolving and, thus, contributing to nursing home residents' quality of life and well-being. Aims/Objectives: To explore nursing home staff's and local managers' perspectives on everyday life with a specific focus on involvement and engagement. Material and Methods: Positioned within interpretivism and hermeneutics, a qualitative exploratory design was applied using individual and group interviews for data generation and abductive thematic analysis as the analytical method...

BACKGROUND: Green environments have been shown to be important for health, although less is known about what, in the environment and the individual, leads to interaction and promotes engagement in activities. AIM: To explore some individuals' perceptions of their green neighbourhood environment and how the interaction with it promotes engagement in activities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative approach was used comprising eight semi-structured interviews and directed content analysis based on the Model of Human Occupation...

BACKGROUND: The use of meaningful activities promotes health and well-being. There is no study with a healthy adult Spanish population that tries to determine how people engage in meaningful activities and the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life. AIMS: This study aimed to 1) confirm the construct validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS) with a healthy population; 2) evaluate the internal consistency of the EMAS for a non-clinical population, and 3) examine convergent validity with self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy) and health-related quality of life...

BACKGROUND: A growing body of literature points to the potential of mindfulness to support therapeutic relationships, and the importance of the therapeutic relationship when working with children and youth, yet little attention has been paid to this topic in occupational therapy. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to inquire into occupational therapists' experiences of mindfulness in the therapeutic relationship with children and youth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hermeneutic phenomenology was the methodological approach, with Heidegger's concepts of being-with and care as theoretical underpinnings of the study...

BACKGROUND: Obesity can limit occupational participation because of physical and mental barriers. Weight loss programmes emphasizing dietary and physical activity may lower body weight; however, mental barriers and sustainable weight loss seemed to be challenged. Weight loss influences daily patterns and structure of occupations and finding a balance in daily life during the weight loss process might improve sustainable weight loss. AIM: To explore if and how health professionals conducting weight loss programmes in Danish municipalities address elements related to occupational balance in the daily life of citizens with obesity...

BACKGROUND: Higher education needs to provide students with competencies to meet the health and social needs of a society characterised by increased globalisation and diversity. Occupational therapy students from Norway expressed that learning experiences outside their comfort zone within Zambian placements, have had a profound impact on their professional competence. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Enhanced understanding of how learning experiences in international placement impact on students' professional competence...

BACKGROUND: Older adults may have difficulties in daily time management due to age-related or disease-related cognitive impairment. Standardised assessments for time-related abilities are currently unavailable in India. AIM: The study aimed to adapt the Kit for Assessing Time-processing Ability-Senior (KaTid-Senior) and Time-Self rating, Senior (Time-S Senior) for daily time management of Indian older adults, translate these into an Indian language, and evaluate the reliability and validity of the adapted assessments...

Background: Road vehicle transportation is essential to support community access and participation for all children. However, little is known about the transport patterns of children with disabilities and medical conditions and their caregivers' experiences supporting them to be transported safely in road vehicles in Australia. Aim: To understand the transport needs of children with disabilities and medical conditions and the transport needs of their caregivers. Materials and Methods: A large-scale national survey was undertaken online to explore the experiences and perspectives of 193 caregivers, identifying the challenges and needs associated with providing and supporting safe road transportation for their children...

BACKGROUND: Many taken-for-granted expectations for parents in Western societies are situated in normative assumptions. Social constructions of 'good' parenting may be a poor fit for parents whose children's development varies from a so-called typical trajectory. Normative assumptions about parenting can have harmful effects for parents of autistic children. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: This paper examines representations of parenting autistic children in contemporary research and considers the potential effects of these representations on these parents' occupational possibilities...

BACKGROUND: Social occupational therapy developed in Brazil in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a practice approach to the social issues experienced by vulnerable populations. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse the theoretical-methodological framework which has supported social occupational therapy practices and interventions in Brazil. METHOD: In a scoping review following PRISMA- ScR, the following databases were searched for publications reporting the practices and interventions of social occupational therapy: Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and The Cochrane Library...

BACKGROUND: Return-to-work (RTW) resources for persons with mental health disorders are limited and costs are typically shared by several stakeholders in society. Occupational therapists (OT) provide RTW interventions for this target group, however, increased knowledge of health, and employment effects, as well as costs are needed to better inform decision makers in their prioritisations. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To identify and summarise evidence of cost-effectiveness of RTW interventions for persons with mental health disorders which OTs provide...

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterised by extreme fatigue, as well as physical and cognitive symptoms. CFS is thrice as prevalent in women than in men. OBJECTIVE: To compare women with and without CFS concerning social support and participation in daily routine occupations, and to assess the relationships between the two variables among women with CFS. METHODS: This study included 110 women aged 24-69: 41 were diagnosed with CFS and 64 were not diagnosed with CFS...