mina sadat mirshoja

New graduates and occupational therapy students need adequate knowledge and skills to succeed in management roles. A management course could potentially prepare them for future job demands.

This study assessed the knowledge and attitude regarding the management course among occupational therapy students at Semnan University of Medical Sciences.

An explanatory sequential mixed methods design utilized a pre- and post-experimental approach without a control group to compare outcomes before and after the management course in the occupational therapy curriculum. A week later, the students were divided into three groups of 6-7 and each participated separately in an in-person focus group session. Twenty-four students engaged in the course and focus group. Finally, twenty-one students completed the adapted version of Whetten's management skills assessment questionnaire and attitude toward the field of study and future job. The paired t-test was used to compare variables before and after the management course.

Differences in students' scores for management skills (t = -5.98, df = 20, P = 0.011) and attitude toward the field of study and future job (t = -4.941, df = 20, P < 0.001) were significant. Furthermore, focus group findings showed that the management course had a positive impact on students' attitudes and knowledge.

The findings indicate that the management course significantly improved students' management skills and attitudes toward their field of study and future careers. These results, supported by focus group insights, highlight the positive impact of targeted management education on both practical skills and perceptions.

Aging is one of the stages of the life cycle that is accompanied by sensory changes and bodily awareness. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of perceptual-motor exercises based on multi-sensory therapy on body image and sensory processing in elderly individuals with cognitive impairments.

The present study is a clinical trial with a pre-test-post-test design with an experimental and a control group, conducted in a double-blind manner. The samples were selected using the available sampling method and were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups (15 participants in each group). The interventions were performed individually for each participant in 8 treatment sessions, 2 days a week, for a duration of 1 month. The assessment tools included the multidimensional body-self relations questionnaire (MBSRQ) and the sensory profile questionnaire.

The results showed that the perceptual-motor exercises based on multi-sensory therapy had a significant difference in all cases of the MBSRQ (except for body satisfaction and preoccupation with excess body) and the sensory profile questionnaire in both groups (P<0.05). Additionally, the analysis of covariance in both questionnaires and in both groups was calculated to be less than 0.05 and significant.

The findings of this study showed that perceptual-motor exercises based on multi-sensory methods can improve body image and enhance sensory processing skills in elderly individuals with cognitive impairments. Therefore, educating and repeating these exercises can greatly assist therapists and clients in achieving more beneficial results.

One of the most complex problems of elders is the balance problem and the increased risk of falling. Body percussion is an effective treatment for various diseases with cognitive, physical, and psychological deficits and improves the memory, motor, and coordination skills, as well as the social interaction of patients with neurological diseases. One of the problems in the elderly is the weakness in balance skills and falling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of body percussion exercises (BPE) on the balance of the elderly.

This study was carried out as pretest-posttest research with two experimental and control groups. A 12-session therapeutic program was implemented 3 days a week each for 45-60 minutes. The subjects were evaluated using the Berg balance scale, functional reach, and timed up and go (TUG) tests. Data were analyzed by paired and independent t tests.

The results of the treatment group showed a significant effect of BPE on the balance (P<0.005). A comparison of post-treatment results showed that the Berg balance scale (P=0.00), and timed up and go (P=0.023) were significantly different. The functional reach test (P=0.174) was not significantly different.

This study showed that BPE had a significant effect on the elderly`s balance.

There are various methods for managing and treating motor problems in children with cerebral palsy, which their  effectiveness can be measured in muscle tone, gross motor skills, and voluntary movements. Among these intervention methods, Dohsa-Hou treatment approach was designed to affect the motor function of children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of this approach specifically on gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 24 children with spastic cerebral palsy (aged 4 to 14 years) were randomly assigned to experimental (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. The experimental group received a combination of Dohsa-Hou psycho-motor relaxation therapy with routine occupational therapy interventions and the control group received only routine occupational therapy interventions. Dohsa-Hou method was performed in 16 sessions twice a week for 45 minutes. The gross motor performance scale version 66 was used for the assesement gross motor function, and the Ashworth Muscle Tone Scale was used for measuring muscle spasticity.

Based on pre-intervention evaluations, it was found that children in the experimental and control groups did not differ in any of the variables, but after the intervention, the rate of change in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group in controlling motor function (P=0.001) and in measuring muscle tone (P=0.001).

The findings of this study indicated that the use of Dohsa-Hou method could be effective in promoting gross motor function and modulating muscle tone in children with spastic cerebral palsy aged 4-12 years. Therefore, the use of Dohsa-Hou method can be considered a therapeutic protocol to improve motor function and increase the physical ability of children with cerebral palsy.

Theatrical therapy is one of the effective treatment methods in teaching communication skills. Due to the deficiency in verbal and non-verbal skills of the body, regulation and expression of emotions and as a result affecting the life satisfaction of people with schizophrenia, this study was conducted with the aim of the effect of theater therapy on their emotional skills

In this clinical trial, cases were randomly selected from patients referred to Atieh Psychiatric Occupational Therapy Center and were divided into control and experimental groups. Theatrical therapy was performed in groups for 60 minutes in an eight-session program over two weeks. Bar-on emotional intelligence questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention in both groups and the results were evaluated after normality according to Kolmogorov-Smirnov test using paired t-test.

In this study, 20 patients with schizophrenia including 6 females and 14 males participated. Each person was randomly divided into 10 groups of treatment and control (treatment group including 5 women and 5 men, control group 1 woman and 9 men). The data showed that there was no difference in any of these subscales of the Bar-An emotional intelligence questionnaire in the experimental group compared the control group.

According to the results of this study, it can be said that theater therapy in this group of patients has little effect on emotional intelligence; but it can be used as a complement to behavior change, and reducing depressive symptoms by methods such as self-presentation, role deviation, and future predictions that motivate them to talk and play with others.

The Coronavirus is affecting the entire world causing constant stress on therapists. The aim of this study was to seek the relationship between job satisfaction and burnout in occupational therapists and physiotherapists working in the coronavirus departments.

A descriptive correlational study assessed occupational therapists and physiotherapists employed and unemployed in the coronavirus wards; both case and control groups were assessed.In this study, 90 therapists were randomly divided into case and control groups with 45 people in each group. Job burnout was measured by the Maslash and Jackson questionnaire and job satisfaction was measured by the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. Demographic information, informed consent form and the texts of  questionnaires were uploaded virtually and the data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

The mean age (years) of  participants was 31.42 with a standard deviation of 6.54 and the average work experience (years) was 7.13 and the standard deviation was 5.082. Pearson correlation coefficient between Minnesota job satisfaction / Maslash burnout in case and control groups were -0.328 and 0.387, respectively, and their significance levels were reported to be 0.034 and 0.009, respectively.

This study showed that many occupational therapists and physiotherapists are at risk of burnout and reduced job satisfaction.

Fulfilling the activities of daily living requires skilfulness. Knowledge of the skill level of healthy people helps therapists evaluate and treat patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine spatial resolution of children aged six to eleven years old by Box and Block and Nine Hole Peg test.

This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 90 healthy children aged six to eleven years old. The ability of healthy children was once measured after becoming familiar with how they performed the Box and Block test and Nine Hole Peg test.

In this study, Children in the age range of eleven to twelve, nine to ten, and seven to eight years in the Box and Block test presented a mean ± SD of 71.23 ± 8.14, 63.21 ± 2.93, and 57.90 ± 3.78 blocks in the right dominant hand, and 67.87 ± 6.33, 64.21 ± 4.47, and 56.94 ± 4.41 blocks in the left dominant hand, respectively. Using the Nine Hole Peg test obtained a mean ± SD of 19.87 ± 1.61, 19.83 ± 2.26, and 22.84 ± 2.38 seconds in the right dominant hands and 21.83 ± 2.27, 21.38 ± 2.55, and 27.74 ± 2.36 seconds in the left dominant hand.

The study found that using the Box and Block test and the Nine Hole Peg test can distinguish between skills of healthy children with children, who have special needs at any age and, they receive interventions based on the difference in range.

Sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit positions is a daily living activity in chronic stroke patients that needs acceptable lower extremity function and good postural control. Therefore, the analysis of available knowledge seems necessary in order to introduce the best method for the treatment of patients and recovery of the sit-to-stand task.

This study is a non-systematic review in which databases including PubMed, Ovid, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect were searched for scientific articles of original research published between January 1990 and December 2017. It investigated muscle activity, foot positions, and the effect of exercise on the sit-to-stand task in stroke survivors.

The results showed that there is a delay in the paretic side muscles and asymmetry on the muscle torques between the legs that result from a weakness in the knee joint extensor muscles. Additionally, placing the paretic foot behind the non-paretic foot in sit-to-stand task leads to enhanced muscle activity. Increasing muscle activity leads the legs to be symmetrical and improves the sit-to-stand task.

The legs’ muscle strength, foot positions during the task, and different exercises can be useful in achieving independence and improving the sit-to-stand task in stroke survivors

Elderly people often face cognitive problems due to the aging process. Decreased ability in cognitive functions leads to impaired performance in daily activities of judgment, attention, and awareness. Therefore, this study investigates different cognitive therapies on cognition in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease.

Prisma method was used in this study. The present study included research published from 2015 to 2018 with keywords Cognitive Exercises, Cognition, Elderly, Alzheimer's at Pubmed Science and Science Directory.

In search of 1145 articles in Pubmed database, 615 articles in Science Directory database were obtained. 1122 articles were excluded after the abstract study and finally 12 articles that matched the research objectives were selected and reported.

Applying a variety of cognitive exercises can prevent more serious cognitive impairments in high risk individuals, especially the elderly, and increase their executive function. Therefore, practitioners are more familiar with and practicing these exercises.

Balance is one of the important principles of learning in children, and impaired balance can affect learning. This study was conducted to compare the balance status of children with specific learning disability with that of the normal children. The results are to be used to help rehabilitate such children properly.
In this cross-sectional study, all students with specific learning disorder who were qualified for our study in Semnan (58 students) and the same number of students without a specific learning disorder were examined as control group. In order to choose the children in control group, three schools of children without learning disorders were selected by convenience method and 58 students were selected by simple random sampling. The balance test was administered using Biodex balance system (D3) and observing the test requirements.
In open-eye state, dynamic balance index, a significant difference was observed between students with learning disorder and normal students in their total balance (p=0.015), posterior-anterior (p=0.025) and lateral (p=0.026). However, these parameters were not significantly different in both groups (p>0.05) in close-eye state and also the static balance index in open-eye and close-eye states.
The research results indicated that dynamic balance was impaired in students with specific learning disability with the eyes opened. It is necessary that therapists and parents take the matter into account. It is also necessary to perform interventions to improve the dynamic balance

Old age is a period of life in which elderlies face with complications such as increasing risk of chronic diseases, loneliness, isolation, mental and physical disabilities, and reduction of individual independence. These factors cause the quality of life to reduce.

This study compared the quality of life of elderlies in daycare and boarding nursing homes in Semnan, Iran and identified the differences in characteristics of quality of life. It can also help researchers to reduce the problems of elderlies.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 30 elderlies living in boarding nursing homes and 43 in daycare nursing homes. Collecting the data was conducted via a special questionnaire (SF-36), measuring different aspects of quality of life.

On the basis of SF-36 test and comparing various aspects of quality of life among the elderlies residing in boarding and daycare nursing homes, significant differences were observed in domains of quality of life, including physical restrictions (P < 0.001), restrictions in psycho-emotional function (P < 0.001), energy and fatigue (P < 0.008), psycho-emotional function (P < 0.001), social function (P < 0.001), physical pain (P < 0.001), and public health (P < 0.01). However, the difference was not significant in physical function (P = 0.437).

The results showed that the elderlies living in daycare centers had better qualities of lives physically and mentally. Therefore, to improve their qualities of lives in two general physical and mental domains, items such as providing family communications inside or outside the nursing homes as well as planning to fulfill mental and psychological needs besides physical issues like mobility and balance should be considered

One of the problems that people with schizophrenia face is the inability to understand and interpret the sensory input from the environment. This report aims to describe the effects of the sensory integration approach on non-paranoid schizophrenia. The treatment involved eight sessions held 3 days a week and lasting 45 minutes each. The patient had a defined Iranians form social relationships schizophrenia evaluated and treatment. Sensory integration therapy in these patients focused on the following elements: vestibular and proprioceptive senses, exercises to improve walking, improving upper extremity coordination and movement, writing activities, cognitive skills, activities of daily living, and family therapy.

The subject (A.H.) was a 32-year-old male graduate student with no history of previous hospitalization. His diagnosis was schizophrenia. The reason for his hospitalization was that he was angry and violent toward his family. In addition, the patient had limited verbal and nonverbal skills, issues with self-control, and restricted community involvement. The results of the patient’s treatment for schizophrenia was assessed via a questionnaire on social skills.

After eight sessions, increased awareness of the environment, improved posture and gait pattern, improved motivation and enjoyment, improved patient tolerance, improved appearance and personal hygiene, loss of purposeful behavior, a realistic plan of action every day, improved attention span, improved decision-making skills, and improved community involvement and coping skills were achieved. The environment is rich in sensory stimuli. The integration and processing of each individual senses creates different behavioral responses. The results showed that a sensory integration approach combined with drug therapy is an effective treatment for patients with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most common psychiatric disorders and one of the ten leading causes of mental disability. Level of education, family factors and individual culture affect the patients’ quality of life.

Due to the greater prevalence of this disease and the impact of its symptoms on the one’s quality of life, this study was conducted on the people with chronic schizophrenia to determine in which aspects of their quality of life is more likely affected in Semnan, Iran.

This descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted on 37 patients with non-paranoid schizophrenia. To evaluate their quality of life, the short-form of the questionnaire of world health organization quality of life (WHOQOL-26) was used. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance.

The participants in this study gained the highest quality of life in the domain of physical, environmental and psychological health and social relationships. There was no significant relationship between the different aspects of the quality of life in this study.

It can be concluded that schizophrenia can have an effect on the quality of life. Some items such as family care, early and on time treatment play an important role in increasing the quality of life.

Aging is a process that happens over the course of human development in the last stage of life, the elderly have individual needs and interests which have been unknown due to differences between generations and lack of knowledge to them.

The aim of this study was to identify the interests of the elderly in the domain of individual activities to be used by institutions and organizations for planning.

In this descriptive–analytical study, 80 elderly people in the age group 65 to 85 years residing in eight nursing homes in Tehran, Iran and affiliated with the Welfare Organization were studied. Their interest in three domains of individual activities daily activities, cultural educational affairs, and physical exercises were measured using a questionnaire and Interest Check List taken from Matsutessiu’s and Klyczek et al.’s studies. To analyze the data, the frequency percentage, the Chi-square test, and the Fisher test were used with a significance level of 5% as determined via SPSS-18. Moreover, to evaluate the statistical validity of data, cluster analysis was used.

Investigation of the elderly people’s interests in three domains of individual activities showed the greatest interest in the activities of daily living; elderly of both sexes were interested in putting on makeup up appearance dressing up , going shopping, and dust , while the women were interested in cooking (over 80%). Meanwhile significant difference was seen in the women’s and men’s interest in driving, cooking,and washing (P = 0.05). In terms of cultural–educational pursuits, both sexes were interested in scientific and religious studies, praying, and listening to lectures. However, men were more interested in historical studies and concert (over 80%). Moreover, a significant difference between the two genders was evident in terms of writing and math calculations (P < 0.05). Both sexes were interested in physical exercise, such as hiking and fitness. A significant difference between the two genders was observed in relation to activities like playing football, swimming, traditional sports, cycling, volleyball, tennis, and basketball (P > 0.001).

The results showed that in the domain of individual activities in both sexes, the rates of interest in daily activities, cultural-educational pursuits, and physical exercise were very similar. However, in some cases, there were differences between the two sexes in terms of their interest in specific activities

One of the main problems of chronic stroke patients is the inability to move the fingers separately despite the passing of an extended period of time since the onset of the disease. Dexterity is a fine motor skill that allows one to manipulate objects through voluntary movement.

The aim of this study was to compare the fine motor skills of patients with chronic stroke to those of healthy controls.

This analytic and descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out randomly on 50 patients with chronic stroke with a mean age of 57.8 years suffering for 46 - 72 months and on 50 healthy people with a mean age of 51.16 years. Patients did not receive any intervention before or after one week of assessment. The function of both hands of each patient was measured with the nine-holepegtest (NHPT) and the box and block test (BBT).

The results showed that the mean variation of speed in the BBT test (standard deviation [SD]) in the left hands of the patients (recessive limb) was 57.8 (12.75), greater than in their right hand (dominant limb) (54.76 [8.67]). The rate of speed in healthy people’s right hands was 68.58 (8.31), greater than in their left hands (63.5 [8.54]). In addition, the results of the NHPT showed that the stroke patients needed more time to manipulate the objects than the healthy ones. For the NHPT, the mean (SD) of the right hand (dominant limb) patients (4.89) and healthy controls 36.7 (14.5) 21.98, mean (SD) of the left hand (dominant limb) patients (4.45) and 30.4 in healthy subjects (4.09) 24.18 respectively. Independent T-test showed P < 0.05 in all the results obtained, respectively.

The results showed that the dexterity fingers of patients suffering from stroke at the final stages of Bronestrum is much closer to the dexterity of healthy controls

Sensory defects are common complications of a stroke. It has a major role in the proper activity of daily living. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Sensory-Motor Training on Recovery of basic and instrumental activity of daily living in chronic stroke patients. In this quasi-experimental 12 stroke patients (n = 6، right hemiparesis، left hemiparesis 6 patients) with a mean time of disease 41. 50 months were selected. Patients were trained with sensory-motor exercies for two consecutive weeks and 5 days a week، 90 minutes per session. Before and after the intervention the patients were evaluated by Barthel Index، Instrumental Activity of Daily Living Lawton version، Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The mean Barthel Index scores at pre-and post-test (p = 0. 007)، the mean scores of pre-and post-test with a significance level Lawton version (p = 0. 003)، the mean scores the Functional Independence Measure indicators before and after the test showed significance differnces (p=0. 002). No significant difference in the Barthel Index and Lawton version before and after treatment were seen. Also، the mean of the three tests showed a significant improvement. It seems that the sensory motor training could be an effective intervention in the rehabilitation of stroke patients، although further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.