After launching our fantastic issue no. 4, on Critical Perspectives on Client-centred Occupational Therapy by the guest editors Elizabeth Townsend, Canada and Gudrun Palmardottir, Iceland, we are now returning to our regular format of the journal. In this issue of SJOT I proudly present research findings from occupational therapy research in Sweden, Norway, and Canada, but first there is a Letter to the editor.
The letter is a critical review of evidence presented in the introduction of a former article on the use of coloured filters to reduce the symptoms of visual stress in children with reading delay. The authors of the original article have also been invited to provide an answer to this critical review.
The introductory article is a scoping review of accessibility and usability of playground environments for children under 12 years of age, and identifying the playground design as a significant factor in enabling social inclusion of children.
Thereafter, we can read about the experiences of 14 occupational therapists working in an area of practice not taken for granted as practice area for occupational therapists, namely emergency care. Contradictory to earlier studies the occupational therapists felt both established and needed at the unit after deliberately using strategies to demonstrate the effectiveness of occupational therapy and its approaches to patients and other health care professionals.
In an RCT study from Norway two different models of outpatient rehabilitation were tested: early supported discharge (ESD) in a day unit, and ESD at home and traditional treatment in the municipality (control group). No significant group differences were found in pre–post changed ADL ability measured with AMPS, even if it was indicated that patients with social needs and physical impairment after stroke may benefit from ESD rehabilitation models.
A Swedish study aimed to explore the relationship between perceived difficulty in everyday technology use, perceived ability in the activities of daily living, perceived participation, and participation problems in persons with acquired brain injury (ABI). The findings showed that it is important to evaluate individuals’ ability in both everyday technology use and activities of daily living to increase the probability of explaining their participation in desired life situations.
A qualitative longitudinal design with a Grounded Theory approach was applied in a study on significant others’ experiences of client-centred ADL (CADL) interventions after stroke. “Taking responsibility and achieving balance with respect to self-esteem in order to get on with everyday life” was established as the core category.
We can also learn from another study how the Internet can be used as a tool for togetherness in everyday occupations among older adults. Three focus groups were held with a total of 12 older adults, recruited from a retirement organization. The findings highlighted the need to consider the Internet as a tool for older adults to be socially engaged with the potential to reduce loneliness and isolation.
Finally, there is a study from Canada on the power of power wheelchairs. A series of semi-structured interviews was undertaken with 13 older adult power wheelchair users. Bourdieu’s theoretical constructs of habitus, capital, and field were used for the data analysis and three main styles of use were identified: reluctant use, strategic use, and essential use, all of them illustrated by the use of an aggregate case study.
I wish you inspiring reading!
Anita Björklund
Editor in Chief SJOT