OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research

This pilot study was conducted to determine whether an occupational therapy intervention using an acquisitional frame of reference with a psychoeducational component resulted in greater functional outcomes in the improvement of meal preparation for adult clients with schizophrenic disorders than an intervention framed solely by acquisition. Eight participants who met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to the control group or the experimental group completed the study. Occupational performance in this area was assessed before and after treatment by administering relevant portions of the Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills. Analysis of data suggests a significant change in one of three areas evaluated. All participants' “level of independence” improved, indicating that clients required less assistance after occupational therapy intervention; however, the findings did not indicate that the acquisition plus psychoeducation resulted in better outcomes than acquisition alone.

This study described and explored the everyday activities of people with advanced cancer in relation to time, location, social engagement, and experience. Forty-five adult participants with a diagnosis of advanced cancer were sampled from an oncology outpatient unit. Data were collected with a time use method that involved diaries and interviews. Data were analyzed using a software program describing time use combined with a constant comparative method. The results showed that the participants' days were spent mostly at home and were dominated by self-care and leisure, with social engagement limited to immediate family and close friends. The participants' daily rhythm was identified as closely linked to their experience of satisfaction and consisted of both routine and novel activities. For healthcare services, the results suggest a need for developing services to support people with severe illness in creating and maintaining personal rhythms.

The authors discuss the use of psychobiological measures (i.e., biomarkers) for furthering understanding of the biological foundations supporting human occupational behavior. They explore the possible applications of psychobiological measures in research relevant to occupational therapy practice and occupational science, including the documentation of outcomes following occupational therapy intervention. Common psychobiological measures that are available and of particular interest to occupational scientists and therapists are described based on a review of research that has applied psychobiological measures. Psychobiological measures have rarely been reported in the occupational science and occupational therapy literature to date, although such measures are beginning to emerge as researchers expand their questions and methods related to occupational engagement. Psychobiological measures may provide promising insights into the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve self-regulation and more effectively manage stressors for enhancing occupational performance. These measures also may be used to increase understanding of how participation in desired occupations influences arousal levels, stress response, and overall states of well-being and productivity.

Although programs exist to support teen parents, little is known about the daily life patterns of teen mothers. This study used a mixed methods approach to examine teen mothers' time allocations and occupational choices. The researchers interviewed and collected experiential time samples from nine teen mothers during a 3-week period. The teen mothers were their children's primary caregivers, had ages ranging from 14 to 20 years, and lived in a rural community. Findings indicated that the teens spent the majority of their time engaged in instrumental activities of daily living that involved caring for their children because of feelings of obligation, performed most of their occupations at home, and spent more time engaged in passive than active leisure occupations. This study has implications for occupational therapy related to teen parenting programs.

Time use patterns were systematically assessed in a sample of women with children living in a domestic violence shelter. A convenience sample of 23 women residing in a homeless shelter for women escaping domestic violence participated in this study. Time use patterns were obtained by the participants verbally reviewing a previous weekday and weekend day with the research team members. While staying at an emergency shelter for women fleeing violence, the women in this study spent significant amounts of time in sleep and rest activities, passive recreation, and socializing with other shelter residents. The daily activities engaged in by women with children living in an emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence reflect the complex housing and personal transitions they face. Their activity patterns reflect the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and conditions in this population and the crisis nature of surviving without stable housing in a shelter.