Date Presented 04/13/21 It is important to monitor the status of motor development in children. Standardization for comparing pre- and postintervention results for children with suspected developmental coordination disease should also be implemented. In this study, a digital device for testing manual dexterity was developed, and its accuracy was verified. This device will be used to provide data for early screening and intervention program planning for infants at risk of delayed motor development or disability. Primary Author and Speaker: Yeshin Woo Contributing Authors: Allison J. L'Hotta, Anna H. Bauer, Chih-Hung Chang, Taniya Easow Varughese, Regina A. Abel, Allison King

Date Presented 04/22/21 In today's technology-based world, prolonged device use is common among college students. This quantitative study explores the effect of 2 weeks of mindfulness meditation on body awareness in college students. On the basis of preliminary data analysis, there is an increase in self-report of mindfulness and body awareness in the target population. These current findings support further exploration of mindfulness meditation to maximize health, well-being, and quality of life for all people. Primary Author and Speaker: Kimberly Szucs Additional Authors and Speakers: Patricia Coker-Bolt Contributing Authors: Dorothea Jenkins

Importance: The effects of robot-assisted task-oriented training with tangible objects among patients with stroke remain unknown. Objective: To investigate the effects of robot-assisted therapy (RT) with a Gloreha device on sensorimotor and hand function and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) among patients with stroke. Design: Randomized, crossover-controlled, assessor-blinded study. Setting: Rehabilitation clinic. Participants: Patients (N = 24) with moderate motor and sensory deficits. Intervention: Patients participated in 12 RT sessions and 12 conventional therapy (CT) sessions, with order counterbalanced, for 6 wk, with a 1-mo washout period. Outcomes and Measures: Performance was assessed four times: before and after RT and before and after CT. Outcomes were measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment–Upper Extremity (FMA–UE), Box and Block Test, electromyography of the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) and brachioradialis, and a grip dynamometer for motor function; Semmes–Weinstein hand monofilament and the Revised Nottingham Sensory Assessment for sensory function; and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) for ADL ability. Results: RT resulted in significantly improved FMA–UE proximal (p = .038) and total (p = .046) and MBI (p = .030) scores. Participants’ EDC muscles exhibited higher efficacy during the small-block grasping task of the Box and Block Test after RT than after CT (p = .050). Conclusions and Relevance: RT with the Gloreha device can facilitate whole-limb function, leading to beneficial effects on arm motor function, EDC muscle recruitment efficacy, and ADL ability for people with subacute and chronic stroke. What This Article Adds: The evidence suggests that a task-oriented approach combined with the Gloreha device can facilitate engagement in whole-limb active movement and efficiently promote functional recovery.

OBJECTIVE. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of four adapted feeding utensils with participants with essential tremor (ET) or tremor related to Parkinson’s disease (PD). METHOD. Participants performed a simulated feeding task under five conditions: (1) standard spoon (control condition), (2) weighted spoon with standard handle, (3) weighted spoon with built-up handle, (4) swivel spoon, and (5) Liftware Steady™ spoon, a product using active tremor cancellation technology. Participants rated each adapted utensil in comparison with the standard spoon regarding performance, ease of use, speed, neatness, and aesthetics. RESULTS. Participants preferred the Liftware Steady spoon and weighted spoon with standard handle. Friedman’s test did not reveal statistically significant differences in ratings between the two preferred utensils. CONCLUSION. Participants had varied reactions to the different adaptive utensils and gave different reasons for preferences. These findings support the need for people with tremor related to ET or PD to have access to trial use of all four devices assessed in this study.

OBJECTIVE. Neurological bilateral upper limb weakness can result in self-feeding difficulties and reliance on care providers. Mealtimes become time consuming and frustrating. In this exploratory inquiry, we examined the experiences of users of a feeding device. METHOD. Semistructured interviews were either conducted by telephone or administered via email to explore quality of life, changes to independence, benefits and limitations, and psychological impact of the equipment. RESULTS. Thematic analysis gave rise to five themes: independence and positivity, emotions, impact on family and social life, equipment functionality, and motivation. CONCLUSION. This exploratory inquiry has contributed new qualitative evidence to the knowledge and understanding of users’ experiences of a manual feeding device. Users reported that the need for assistance was reduced and that their quality of life, independence, and freedom improved. Time and resources savings for the family, care providers, and staff appeared to result in a more equal relationship between user and care provider.

OBJECTIVE. This study used a novel device to make video games accessible to children with developmental disabilities (DD) by modifying the training software and interfaces to enhance motor training. METHOD. In the pretest–posttest design, 20 children (13 boys, 7 girls; mean age = 5.2 yr) with DD received adaptive upper-limb motor rehabilitation consisting of fifteen 30-min individual sessions 3 times per week for 5 wk. RESULTS. Improvement in Beery–Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition, scores for children with DD indicated significant differences between pretest and posttest. CONCLUSION. The rehabilitation device modified for the needs of children with DD is effective in improving visual–motor performance of children with DD.

An ongoing challenge to occupational therapy educators is how to provide resources and strategies that best assist students in learning, retaining, and replicating protocols in clinical manual assessment. This pilot survey study explored how 43 first-year master’s of occupational therapy students enrolled in a kinesiology course perceived the value of implementing instructor-produced YouTube^® videos of in-class assessment demonstrations. The videos, taken on a smartphone, were uploaded to a private YouTube URL created by the instructor and then linked to a pre-established Moodle learning platform. By the end of the 6-wk course, students had registered 2,573 views averaging 60 views per student. Postcourse mixed survey results revealed students perceived that the videos improved the quality of the course, increased their level of engagement and learning, and boosted confidence in their manual skills. Survey results also found that students correlated the instructor’s willingness to develop online videos with a commitment to student learning.

OBJECTIVE. We explored the efficacy of robotic technology in improving handwriting in children with impaired motor skills. METHOD. Eighteen participants had impairments arising from cerebral palsy (CP), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or other disorders. The intervention was robotic-guided three-dimensional repetitive motion in 15–20 daily sessions of 25–30 min each over 4–8 wk. RESULTS. Fine motor control improved for the children with learning disabilities and those ages 9 or older but not for those with CP or under age 9. All children with ASD or ADHD referred for slow writing speed were able to increase speed while maintaining legibility. CONCLUSION. Three-dimensional, robot-assisted, repetitive motion training improved handwriting fluidity in children with mild to moderate fine motor deficits associated with ASD or ADHD within 10 hr of training. This dosage may not be sufficient for children with CP.

Objective. To determine whether the Touch Window or the mouse with an enlarged on-screen arrow was more effective or efficient for an on-screen letter-matching task completed by a boy 9 years of age with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and visual and cognitive deficits. Method. A single-subject research design of 5 treatment phases, A1, B1, A2, B2, and A & B, was used. The total percentage of correct letter matches per treatment session, the total percentage correct per letter, and the amount of time needed to match 5 consecutive letters correctly were evaluated. Results. The range and variability of letters correctly matched per session decreased and trends for correct letter matches accelerated when the participant used the mouse interface. Accuracy with matching 18 of 26 (69%) letters of the alphabet increased when selections were made with the mouse interface. The participant was faster when using the Touch Window to match 5 consecutive letters correctly; however, regardless of the interface device used, letter matching remained slow and tedious. Conclusion. The mouse with an enlarged on-screen arrow and cursor was the more effective interface device with this child. Making a minor adjustment such as increasing the size of the on-screen arrow can make a common piece of equipment accessible to a person with disabilities.

Objectives. Health care workers who have patient transfer duties are at risk for back injury. Transferring patients between beds and gurneys is a rigorous pulling task that requires back, leg, and arm strength. This study analyzed the efficiency of commercially available transfer devices, namely a patient roller, patient shifter, and draw sheet. Method. With the use of one or two force scales attached to each transfer device, the amount of force needed to transfer 15 participants, weighing from 101 lb to 240 lb, back and forth between a bed and a gurney was measured. Ten transfers per device per participant were performed. Results. The patient roller was superior to the patient shifter and draw sheet in reducing transfer forces. Additionally, gurney-to-bed transfers tended to be more demanding for all transfer devices and for heavier participants. Conclusions. The patient roller was the most efficient transfer device in moving participants compared with the draw sheet and patient shifter. Transfer forces can be estimated with the use of linear equations, with patient weight, direction of transfer and transfer device as the independent variables. These estimated forces can assist occupational therapists in the returning their injured health care coworkers to patient transfer duties. The results further indicated that high forces are required to transfer patients; therefore, patient-transfer personnel should obtain assistance when moving patients.

Rehabilitation robots are increasingly being viewed as an appropriate assistive technology interface for persons with disabilities. The Desktop vocational Assistant Robot (DeVAR™) system is a voice-controlled robotic workstation designed to enable persons with severe mobility impairments to function independently in a work environment. This study examined the overall efficacy of the DeVAR™ system, the level of expertise required for therapist and support personnel, routine maintenance requirements, and the readiness of the device for a multicenter evaluation. Two precommercial DeVAR™ workstations were installed at selected sites. The pilot study spanned 8 months in which staff members and four subjects with high-level quadriplegia evaluated the systems extensively. Responses were generally favorable regarding ease of use and overall training process. Subjects recommended modifications, including incorporation of a noise cancellation microphone, more effective use of workstation space, and addition of vocational tasks. All respondents thought that if the recommended changes were implemented, DeVAR™ would have potential as a vocational assistant. The small number of subjects was due to the limited subject pool available for the study. On the basis of pilot results, the Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Baltimore, Maryland, is conducting a national multicenter evaluation to determine the overall utility and commercial readiness of the DeVAR™ system.