Date Presented 03/28/20 In this mixed-methods study, we present an evaluation of an equal online peer-mentoring program for postprofessional OT doctoral students. Findings suggest multiple benefits, including support and professional development for participants. Practical implications for implementing effective equal peer-mentoring programs will be described. Primary Author and Speaker: John Norcross Additional Authors and Speakers: Liat Gafni Lachter Contributing Authors: Nancy Doyle, Linda Niemeyer, Karen Jacobs

Date Presented 03/28/20 The collaboration between OT and engineering can bring complementary perspectives together to create assistive technology that makes significant global impacts. In Colombia, two assessments were administered to identify factors that influence participation in home and community environments for individuals with ambulatory challenges. This research project provides a foundation for OT in Colombia to work with local engineering programs to identify home and community barriers. Primary Author and Speaker: Lucy Tamberrino Additional Authors and Speakers: Kimberly Greenberg, Karen Jacobs Contributing Authors: Rebecca Pierce Khurshid, Marcela Múnera, Carlos Cifuentes

Date Presented 3/30/2017 This study used a mixed-methods survey to explore World Federation of Occupational Therapists member organizations’ use of social media. It found that although social media tools are well utilized by many organizations, enhancement of technical skills and resources would be beneficial. Primary Author and Speaker: Anita Hamilton Additional Authors and Speakers: Susan Burwash, Karen Jacobs, Merrolee Penman Contributing Authors: Angela Hook, Sarah Bodell, Ritchard Ledgerd, Marilyn Pattison

Date Presented 4/7/2016 This study investigated the nature, perception, and effect of the e-mentoring experiences of graduates of an online postprofessional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. Study results highlight positive features of e-mentoring, including its effect on professional development during and after the online OTD program. Primary Speaker: Karen Jacobs Additional Authors and Speakers: Cathryn Ryan, Nancy Doyle

Date Presented 4/7/2016 This study investigated faculty members’ perspectives on e-mentoring in an online postprofessional doctor of occupational therapy program. Results highlight how successful e-mentoring relationships are built and how they positively affect the professional behaviors and development of students and faculty. Primary Author and Speaker: Nancy Doyle Additional Authors and Speakers: Karen Jacobs, Cathryn Ryan

Date Presented 4/18/2015 Project CAREER is a 5-yr interprofessional development project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). It is designed to improve the employment success of undergraduate students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through the use of cognitive support technologies (CSTs; e.g., iPads^®).

Objective. According to literature in occupational therapy and psychology, intrinsic motivation is thought to be enhanced if people can keep the end-product of an activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of keeping an end-product on intrinsic motivation. Method. Fifty participants chose one of four activities (painting a ceramic vase, decorating cookies, stringing beads for a necklace, creating stationery) and performed two conditions (keep, no-keep) in counterbalanced order. Participants were timed in each condition and, after each condition, ranked their self-determination and competence, which are psychological needs underlying intrinsic motivation. Participants were interviewed at the end of the study to examine their experiences. Results. Participants worked significantly longer on a chosen activity when the end-product could be kept and rated themselves significantly more self-determined and competent after performing the keep condition. However, further analysis revealed that these results depended on the activity chosen. Conclusion. The findings support that keeping an end-product can enhance performance of an activity. However, because results were not consistent across all activity choices, further research is needed to characterize the meaningfulness of particular activities.

Objective. This study examined optimal f1ow experience, a form of job satisfaction in occupational therapy practitioners employed at physical rehabilitation facilities in New England. Method. Factors associated with flow were measured over a 5-day work week with the Experience Sampling Method. Ninety-seven percent of the 90 subject’ responses were analyzed and 43% of the subjects participated in the debriefing interview. Results. Subjects experienced flow a relatively small amount of the time – an average of 5.24 times in a 5-day work week, with a range of 1 to 12 experiences. Flow was experienced most often (23.6%) when subjects were working with a client in some type of intervention. Perceived autonomy and self-esteem were high during a flow experience. Subjects described their flow experiences as including such moods and attitudes as “alert,” “happy,” “involved,” “creative.” “excited,” “productive,” “accomplished,” “proud.” “good,” “confident,” “positive,” and “challenged,” Conversely, subjects in flow also tended to describe their mood as “tense.” Conclusion. Retaining occupational therapy practitioners is critical to meeting and increasing the unprecedented demand for health care services. Understanding what causes occupational therapy practitioners to experience flow and how to transform an activity into a flow experience may ultimately improve job satisfaction, productivity, and the retention of practitioners.

Objectives. A review of outcome research conducted between 1982 and 1992 revealed return-to-work rates for industrial rehabilitation programs that ranged from 50% to 88%. Variations in outcome statistics appeared to reflect discrepancies in factors such as type of research design, initial characteristics of the client sample, and clients excluded from the study group. Method. A work-hardening outcome study involving 36 programs was conducted by the Work Programs Special Interest Section to address questions left unanswered by existing studies regarding (a) rates of program nonacceptance or noncompletion, (b) basic client characteristics and outcome, (c) length of disability and outcome, (d) breakdown of client disposition after program completion, and (e) program characteristics and return to work. Results. Findings included the following: (a) 11.5% of clients were not accepted into work hardening and 24.6% did not complete the program; (b) outcome was not related to client age, gender, area of injury, or physical demand level of job before injury; (c) as duration of disability increased, return to work decreased significantly; (d) at discharge, 48.2% of clients returned to the usual and customary job and 30.5% to alternate or modified work, whereas 13.6% were referred to a vocational counselor; and (e) there was no relationship between number of visits or number of professionals seen and return to work. Conclusion. The authors suggest a need for uniform standards in collection of outcome data to establish a basis for comparison of efficacy among programs. Recommendations include tracking comparison or control groups, grouping clients in terms of length of disability, computing success rate on the basis of number of clients who completed their program, using relevant subcategories when reporting return to work, and consistency of the postdischarge interval for follow-up.