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Representation of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Realistic Fiction for Children and Young Adults Over the Past 20 Years
Get PDFIn our study, we analyzed 147 contemporary realistic fiction children’s and young adult books that feature characters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We compared these representations with current statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For each book, we examined the character demographics, the main character, the author’s background, and representation prevalence. Our findings revealed a significant increase in the portrayal of characters with ASD over the past decade. There has also been a rise in the number of characters with ASD serving as the main protagonists in stories. We delved into the implications of gender, race, and disability intersectionality, the perspective of the main character, the authenticity of the author, and the cultural impact of influential books featuring characters with ASD
Professional Behaviors as Forced Assimilation: A Critical Reflection on the U.S. History of Education and Beyond
Get PDFHistorically, education has been used as a mechanism of assimilation for marginalized identities in the United States, demanding conformity to the dominant culture and society. The occupational therapy (OT) profession is not immune and must examine and understand how our educational systems have erected and maintained barriers designed to exclude people from historically minoritized communities through the lens of professional behaviors. Professionalism and professional behaviors are not well-defined constructs in OT, and there is significant variability among educational institutions in how professional behavior standards are written, communicated, and applied. There is significant inconsistency across OT educational programs in the US in how and where professional behavior standards are documented and the implications of failure to meet one or more of those standards. Research findings suggest that individuals from dominant cultures may be allowed significant leniency related to professional behaviors, which perpetuates the marginalization of and discrimination against those from non-dominant groups. This paper explores the historical use of professionalism in education and many of the required professional behaviors and social constructs that continue to be used in OT education (language, appearance, and behavior) to perpetuate demands for assimilation
From Theory to Practice: Integrating Safe Patient Handling and Mobility into Occupational Therapy Curriculum (Part 2/2)
Get PDFOccupational therapy academic institutions continue to teach manual patient handling as the standard of practice despite recent evidence, legislation, and guidelines from the American Occupational Therapy Association on hazards of manual approaches. A paradigm shift is necessary in occupational therapy academic curriculums to include didactic education and hands-on training of safe patient handling and mobility informed approaches. There is currently no standard of practice available in occupational therapy education on how to incorporate safe patient handling and mobility into preexisting curriculum, which emphasizes manual patient handling as the standard of care. The guidelines presented offer academic institutions recommendations on how to safely and efficiently integrate safe patient handling and mobility informed approaches into curriculums that currently place emphasis on manual handling techniques. The integration of safe patient handling and mobility informed approaches will better prepare students for fieldwork and postgraduation careers while promoting safety, career retention, and longevity. This is Part 2 of a two-part series
Addressing the Needs of Jewish Clients and Students through a Trauma-Informed Approach
Get PDFThe worldwide Jewish community is notoriously nomadic because of persecution and displacement through several millennia. The diasporic experience of global Jewish communities led to traumatic events such as historical expulsion and genocide. These experiences embody all five components of occupational injustice. The recent rise in antisemitism has triggered intergenerational trauma among individuals, families, and communities. This paper, grounded in trauma-based research, aims to guide occupational therapists treating Jewish clients and/or teaching Jewish students. The paper outlines trauma-informed implications for therapist-client collaboration in the context of supporting occupational justice for diverse populations. The distinct role of occupational therapists in effectively serving individuals of Jewish religion/ethnicity/culture is illustrated by connecting four vignettes of Jewish intergenerational trauma with trauma-informed care principles. The discussion expands on the application of effective approaches to serving individuals from all backgrounds exposed to trauma or intergenerational trauma by employing trauma-informed care principles
An Occupational Therapy Work-Self-Efficacy Intervention for LGBTQ+ Young People in Transitional Housing
Get PDFBackground: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) young people who are unhoused experience barriers transitioning into adult roles and responsibilities which negatively impacts workforce participation.
Methods: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the impact of a work self-efficacy intervention on self-efficacy and goal attainment in LGBTQ+ young people at a transitional living facility (TLF). Nine residents and three staff participated in this convergent mixed methods design investigating a work intervention.
Results: The total median score on the General Self-Efficacy Scale (p = 0.042) and the Work Self-Efficacy Scale (p = 0.043) significantly increased and all of the participants achieved clinically meaningful change (≥ 0) on at least one goal per the Goal Attainment Scale. Focus groups confirmed findings and illuminated intervention strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusion: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that supports work self-efficacy interventions for this population and indicates that occupational therapy is positioned to do so within the context of systems, communities, and individuals
Overcoming Research Barriers with Undocumented Populations: COVID-19 Lessons Learned
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic forced researchers to adopt digital technology for data collection, but this shift did not meet the needs of undocumented immigrants. Issues like digital illiteracy, language barriers, and technological constraints hindered effective virtual data collection. Drawing from the authors’ experiences, this note highlights key challenges such as participants’ limited digital skills, trust-building difficulties, and frequent interview rescheduling. To address these, a collaboration with a trusted community organization was essential to advocate for favorable policies and bridge the digital divide. While the pandemic itself may no longer be a primary concern, the methodologies and strategies developed offer valuable lessons for current research
Marshallese Child Development Account Program: An Exploratory Study Using the Status Attainment Framework
No full textThis pilot study was designed to assess the association of post-secondary education savings with improvement in outcomes associated with status attainment for 77 low-income Marshallese households. Given that little is known about specific status attainment measures for Marshallese households, this study provides an important glimpse into the strengths and needs of this population as well as the associations between CDA Program participation and status attainment outcomes. Our findings indicate that the CDA program positively influences self-efficacy and social support among participants. These results suggest that such programs can significantly impact the well-being and future orientation of low-income, diverse populations.This pilot study was designed to assess the association of post-secondary education savings with improvement in outcomes associated with status attainment for 77 low-income Marshallese households. Given that little is known about specific status attainment measures for Marshallese households, this study provides an important glimpse into the strengths and needs of this population as well as the associations between CDA Program participation and status attainment outcomes. Our findings indicate that the CDA program positively influences self-efficacy and social support among participants. These results suggest that such programs can significantly impact the well-being and future orientation of low-income, diverse populations