Search

Introduction: This study compares the experiences of high school students with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) in and out of school. Methods: Twelve visually impaired high school students completed the same in-the-moment survey seven times daily for seven consecutive days. The frequencies of their activities, interactions, and ratings of internal variables (fitting in, acceptance, loneliness, and enjoyment) were compared across three contexts: home, school, and other (neither home nor school) contexts. Results: Participants spent much of their time out of school alone at home. They rated leisure and structured recreation in "other" locations as their most enjoyable activities. Doing nothing at school was the least positively rated activity. Participants fitted in significantly less and felt significantly less accepted at school than elsewhere. A large proportion of school interactions involved receiving help; few involved giving help. Participants with additional disabilities reported more school social challenges than their peers who were only visually impaired. Discussion and implications for practitioners: This study highlights the subjective dimensions of choice in everyday life. The social impact of doing nothing at school provides an imperative for staff members to ensure that adolescents with visual impairments can participate in lessons. Staff may also need to facilitate opportunities for these students to reciprocate with peers. Adolescents with visual impairments highly value activities with friends out of home and, as with most adolescents, may need to lean on their families for assistance in this area until they can participate in such activities independently.

Introduction: This study explores the social experiences in high school of students with visual impairments. Methods: Experience sampling methodology was used to examine (a) how socially included students with visual impairments feel, (b) the internal qualities of their activities, and (c) the factors that influence a sense of inclusion. Twelve students, including three with additional disabilities, completed the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) questionnaire as a measure of inclusion. They were subsequently asked to complete an in-the-moment survey seven times daily for one week using an iOS device. This survey asked about activities and ratings of internal variables: fitting in, acceptance, loneliness, awareness, and enjoyment. Each student was also interviewed. Z-scores were created for internal variables and correlations calculated to examine relationships between experiences, PSSM, and demographic variables. Results: This group felt included as measured by the PSSM (m = 4.24, SD = 0.67). Students' most frequent activity was classwork. Doing nothing rated most negatively and was described as time wasting. Out-of-class activities were rated most positively. In the three participants with additional disabilities, it appeared that the presence of this additional disability negatively influenced a sense of inclusion (rb = -0.67, p < 0.05), fitting in (rb = -0.86, p < 0.05), enjoyment (rb = -0.65, p < 0.05), and loneliness (rb = 0.88, p < 0.05). Interviews revealed a lack of common ground between adolescents with both visual impairments and additional disabilities and their peers. Discussion and implications for practitioners: These students worked hard to maintain parity with peers and found school more enjoyable if they fit in. It is important to provide discreet and timely access to the curriculum. Friendships require time, common interests, and reciprocity. There may be potential to further explore out-of-class clubs as a means of supporting friendship development. In addition, findings suggest that students with additional disabilities are not likely to feel included. Because this population comprises the majority of visually impaired students, this result has serious implications for practitioners and should be examined in future research.

While best practice methodology in animal research aims to address reproducibility and translational issues, awareness and implementation remains low. Preclinical systematic reviews have highlighted many flaws, including issues with internal validity and reporting. With early career researchers (ECRs) heavily involved in all aspects of animal experiments, it is crucial we understand what shapes their research practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 ECRs, including research masters, PhD and postdoctoral academics. Data were collected and analysed concurrently using constant comparison techniques and an iterative approach. Findings revealed low-level awareness of best practice recommendations but a desire to engage in dedicated workshops on designing and reporting animal experiments. Current laboratory practices and previous literature were main influences on research practice, more than institutional training. An unexpected finding was the discovery of ethical and emotional dilemmas ECRs faced when working with animals. This highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to better support junior researchers, both emotionally and practically, to encourage responsible science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People with schizophrenia are more likely to be hospitalised than any other psychiatric diagnosis. Occupational therapists working in mental health are often required to assess and recommend supports that will assist people with schizophrenia to live successfully in the community. There is little research exploring consumer perspectives regarding the support they find useful to stay out of the hospital. The aim of this study was to explore what supports people living with schizophrenia identify as helping them to live in the community and stay out of the hospital. Method: Qualitative data were collected via semi‐structured interviews with adult consumers (N = 18) diagnosed with schizophrenia. Data were thematically analysed using constant comparative analysis methods. Inductive analysis was followed by a deductive phase of analysis. Findings: Participants highlighted personal‐, occupational‐ and environmental‐focused supports. Person‐focused supports addressed cognitive and psychological needs. Occupation‐focused supports included assisting people to manage daily life with a mental illness; engage in social activities; and engage in meaningful activities. Environment‐focused supports included access to financial security; accommodation security; and community of choice. In addition to types of support, participants highlighted the importance of quality of support including the need for flexible; timely; and non‐judgemental support. Conclusion: These results emphasise the multifaceted nature of support required by people living with schizophrenia to stay out of the hospital. Both type and quality of support are important. People in this study were able to clearly articulate the types and qualities of support that were important to them. Occupational therapists may benefit from greater collaboration with consumers during assessments of support needs and the development of recommendations. Further exploration of how occupational therapists identify people's multifaceted support needs is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Self‐determination is a core component of mental health recovery and a predictor of positive outcomes. The literature calls for occupational therapists to lead practice change to greater recovery‐orientation, including facilitating people's self‐determination. However, systemic challenges thwart translation of policy into practice and therapists report a lack of confidence in implementing recovery‐oriented principles. This study aimed to understand the strategies that mental health occupational therapists employ to support people's self‐determination. Methods: Data were collected through an international on‐line questionnaire principally comprising two open‐ended questions designed to elicit deep reflective personal accounts. Participants were asked about an experience in which they supported a person's self‐determination and the factors that either facilitated or hindered this experience. Qualitative data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis, guided by constant comparative methods. Findings: Thirty‐four therapists, predominantly from Australia (n = 30), participated. Therapists described supporting self‐determination as a multifaceted process that involved: (1) working on myself, (2) working with the person, and (3) working with others. They emphasised that the combined use of various strategies across these three areas of work was important to support people's self‐determination. Further, awareness of and addressing issues of power in their practice was key. Conclusion: This study supports the translation of recovery‐oriented principles into practice by revealing the nuanced strategies implemented by occupational therapists striving to support self‐determination. Participants employed diverse strategies to empower people to take the 'driver's seat' in their mental health recovery journey. Insights from this study will support other occupational therapists to actualise recovery‐oriented principles and better support self‐determination in their practice. To effectively implement self‐determination strategies, therapists must reflect on and address existing power differentials within mental health services, particularly between themselves and the people they support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living with stroke and neurological conditions access rehabilitation at different times but self-management is often viewed as what happens post-discharge. Personalised models that integrate self-management support within everyday care are now advocated but this may require practitioners to change their behaviour to adopt and sustain new ways of working. The People1st project evaluated integration of an existing Supported Self-Management programme ("Bridges") across varied stroke and neurorehabilitation service contexts. Mixed-method evaluation of training for groups of healthcare practitioners across 24 UK National Health Service (NHS) Trusts, exploring how learning from Bridges was assimilated and enacted in practice, on an individual and collective basis. Staff growth in confidence and skill around supported self-management was demonstrated. Transformations to practice included changes to: the structure of, and language used in, patient interactions; induction/training processes to increase potential for sustainability; and sharing of successes. Bridges helped practitioners make changes that brought them closer to their professional ideals. Engaged leadership was considered important for successful integration. Bridges was successfully integrated within a wide range of stroke and neurorehabilitation service contexts, enabled by an approach in line with practitioners' values-based motivations. Further work is required to explore sustainability and impact on service users. Personalised models of care and support for self-management are advocated for people living with stroke and neurological conditions; this requires practitioners to be supported to change behaviour and practices to adopt and sustain new ways of working. Staff from a wide variety of backgrounds in neurorehabilitation and stroke can learn collaboratively about self-management practices via the Bridges programme and can integrate those practices into their service contexts. Bridges can take practitioners closer to their professional ideals of caring and making a difference and empowers them to initiate change. Organisational commitment and engaged leadership are required to facilitate a culture of support for self-management in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to conduct a feasibility pilot of the Dementia Lifestyle Coach program; an individual coaching and counselling program for people recently diagnosed with dementia, to help them to adjust to the diagnosis and live well. Methods: A randomised controlled pilot trial (n = 11) with wait‐list control group was undertaken over 12 months. Intervention group participants received immediate personalised counselling from a registered psychologist and monthly support (face‐to‐face or by telephone) from a trained peer mentor living with dementia. The wait‐listed control group commenced treatment 6 months after baseline. Results: Recruitment and delivery of the Dementia Lifestyle Coach program was highly feasible. The program was acceptable, with nine of the 11 participants describing benefits including informational and emotional support, improving their outlook and mood, and family relationships. The planned program was adapted to participants' individual needs. Conclusions: This small pilot showed that it is feasible to recruit for and deliver a counselling and peer mentoring program for people recently diagnosed with dementia. A larger hybrid implementation randomised control trial should be conducted to evaluate efficacy and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was designed to support Australians living with disability. However, public data evidence the low number of people with psychosocial disability in the Scheme. One reason for these low numbers is that many people with psychosocial disability have still not applied to receive NDIS support. The aim of this review was to analyse and synthesise previously reported barriers preventing people with psychosocial disability applying to the Scheme. A search of seven databases identified 61 relevant documents including peer‐reviewed research, published expert opinion pieces, newspaper articles and government and independent enquiries and reports. Thematic analysis revealed five overarching barriers to applying: social inequities acting as barriers to applying; stigma, trauma and previous negative experiences; barriers to finding supports needed to apply; challenges understanding the relevance of the Scheme; and experiences and symptoms of mental illness extend and exacerbate barriers. These barriers signpost problems inherent within an application process designed without engaging or being responsive to the expertise of and insights into people living with psychosocial disability. Resolution of these substantial barriers will not be a small task. It will require commitment to redesigning the Scheme's application process through a genuinely codesigned approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]