Basic Sciences of rehabilitation

Introduction This study examined the effectiveness of occupational performance coaching, which was delivered through telerehabilitation, in improving children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) occupational performance, behavior problems, and prosocial behavior in addition to parental self-efficacy and quality of life. Method Forty-three children were matched and randomized to occupational performance coaching or waitlist groups. Occupational performance, parental self-efficacy, behavioral problems, and prosocial behaviors were assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Child adjustment and parent efficacy scale-developmental disability (CAPES-DD), the Short-Form Health Survey, and goal attainment scale. Results The intervention group showed greater improvement on occupational performance, specified goals, and behavioral problems. No progress was seen on the CAPES-DD prosocial behavior subscale. In addition, parental quality of life improvement was not maintaine...

Article info: Received: 20 Sep 2020 Accepted: 30 Nov 2020 Available Online: 30 Dec 2020 Funding This study was a part of an MSc. thesis supported by the Iran University of Medical Sciences. Conflict of interest The authors declared no conflict of interest. *This work has been published under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Cite this article as Ghorbani A, Saneii SH, Yari P. Phonological Knowledge in 5-year-old Bilingual Turkish Qashqai-Persian Children and Fars Monolingual Children. Function and Disability Journal. 2020; 3:77-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.32598/fdj.3.11 : http://dx.doi.org/10.32598/fdj.3.11 Use your device to scan and read the article online

Purpose. Since fear of falling may be one of the main problems in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), its assessment with valid tools is necessary in both drug phases. This study was carried out to investigate the psychometric attributes of the Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) in people with PD, both in On and Off phases. Methods. One hundred twenty-four patients with PD (mean age ± standard deviation, 60.33 ± 12.59 years) were assessed with the FES-I, both in On- and Off-drug phases. Dimensionality, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were, respectively, explored by means of factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Convergent validity of FES-I was established with Visual Analog Scale-Fear of Falling, Berg Balance Scale, and Functional Reach Test. Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-Activities of Daily Living were also applied. Discriminative validity was tested between patients wi...

Introduction: Overweight increases the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and serves as a major risk factor for arthropathy and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This condition is becoming increasingly prevalent among patients with haemophilia (PWH). Different forms of exercise training could favourably modify weight-related complications, cardiovascular risk factors and the inflammation. Aim: To investigate the effects of resistance, aerobic and combined exercises on the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers in overweight patients with moderate haemophilia A. Methods: Forty-eight patients with moderate haemophilia A, aged 35-55 years, and body mass index (BMI) of 25-30 kg/m 2 were randomly assigned to resistance training (RT, n = 12), aerobic (AT, n = 12), combined training (CT, n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. The patients participated in 45-minutes exercise sessions three times a week for 6 weeks. Waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fat mass, fat-free mass, interleukin-10 (IL-10), adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured before and after the 6 weeks of training. Results: There was significant decrease in WC, WHR, BMI and weight in the AT, RT and CT groups as compared to the control group. Total HJHS scores decreased in the AT, RT, CT groups compared to the control groups (P ≤ 0.001). The decrease in hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in the CT group was significant compared to the control group

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting the social participation of Iranian children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were 274 (male ¼ 62%; female ¼ 38%) children with CP, 6-to 12-years old (mean ¼ 1.64) and their parents. Several standardized measures were used to assess social participation, gather environmental factors, and demographic questionnaires. The results of stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that the type of CP, Manual ability level and cognitive level (IQ) appear to be strong predictors of social participation between personal and environmental factors.

Background and Objectives: Archery is a static sport and requires high degrees of accuracy and stability in the glenohumeral joint. Kinesio Tape (KT) is known as a technique for increasing joint stability and Joint Position Sense (JPS), with subsequent improvement in accuracy. The present study aims to investigate the effect of KT on shoulder JPS and accuracy in female archery athletes using Olympic recurve bows. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 female archers with a mean age of 24.77±6.16 years and minimum of one year's experience of archery, volunteered to take part in the study. The repositioning angle test was performed on the shoulder JPS (of the drawing arm) at 30 degrees and 60 degrees of external rotation. In this test, the drawing arm shoulder was at 90 degrees of abduction and the elbow was at 90 degrees of flexion. Then, each participant shot three arrows from distances of 18, 30, and 50 meters, and their scores were recorded. Next, KT was placed on the deltoid and supraspinatus muscles, and repositioning test and shooting were repeated. Results: KT positively affected archery scores (P=0.004, 0.000, and 0.004 for 18, 30, and 50 meters, respectively). The results for absolute error in repositioning angle test showed an increase in JPS at 60 degrees of external rotation (P=0.000), but no significant difference was observed at 30 degrees of external rotation (P=0.637). Conclusion: It appears that KT technique can be used to increase the shoulder joint JPS and improve archers' shooting accuracy.

Background and Objectives: The progressive prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the high cost of its treatment suggest that health services should be purposefully provided to people with this disorder. Occupational therapists play a key role in the rehabilitation of autism. This study sought to monitor occupational therapy services provided to individuals with autism. Materials and Methods: A survey about occupational therapy services for people with autism spectrum disorder was distributed to therapists. They completed a researcher-made questionnaire asking them about working conditions, knowledge sources, assessments, and interventions that have been used in autism. 225 questionnaires were distributed among occupational therapists who had the inclusion criteria. Results: The number of the full-filled questionnaires was 124. The therapists worked more individual therapy (95%) than group sessions (23%). Household economic problems were reported as the most common cause of occupational therapy discontinuation. They focused more on sensory approaches and cognitive models. The education level of the therapist was significantly correlated with autism-specific experience (r=0.376, P=0.00). Of the respondents, 50.8% reported their competency to treat autism as higher than average. Perceived competency was significantly correlated with providing consultation by the therapists (r=0.256, P=0.004). Conclusion: Occupational therapists apply sensory and cognitive approaches in autism. Therapists should try to resolve the problems that exist for group therapy sessions. The use of sensory-based therapies and their impact on the participation in everyday life is controversial. Finding a solution to compensate for the high cost of occupational therapy for autism can make people more likely to receive occupational therapy services.

10.30699/jambs.28.127.111 Background & Objective: Post-stroke fatigue is a troublesome symptom and a common complaint of stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric features of the Persian version of the FIS (FIS-P) administered to Iranian stroke patients. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional methodological study, the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the FIS (FIS-P) were examined. The participants were 280 Iranian people (140 healthy adults; 140 stroke patients) who were assessed using the FIS-P, fatigue severity scale (FSS), and SF-36 questionnaire. The content, convergent, and discriminant validity of the FIS-P were evaluated using CVR and CVI, Pearson correlation, and independent-sampling T-tests, respectively. Furthermore, interrater reliability and test-retest reliability were assessed via the intra-class correlation coefficient and SEM. The internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's α. Results: The results of the CVR for items ranged from 0.6-1, and the CVI of the FIS-P was 0.85. The Pearson correlation measure revealed strong and inverse correlations between FIS-P and FSS and a low to moderate relationship between all subscales of the SF-36 and FIS-P in terms of convergent validity. T-test results showed the discriminant validity of the FIS-P in differentiating between stroke patients and healthy participants. The ICC coefficients for test-retest and inter-rater reliability for the overall scale were 0.991 and 0.984, respectively. Cronbach's α was 895. Conclusion: The strong psychometric properties of the FIS-P indicated its applicability in assessing the impact of fatigue on stroke victim's daily activities and the effectiveness of therapeutic and rehabilitation interventions.

Background and Objectives: Cerebral Palsy (CP) can trouble caregivers in the families of children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting caregiver troubles of the families of children with CP. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 121 children with CP and their parents participated. Factors such as gross motor function, manual ability, communication function, eating and drinking abilities, seizure, IQ, age, gender, auditory and visual problems were evaluated in children, and their predictive power to the caregiver difficulties was measured. Results: The Mean±SD of age of the children in the study was 9.7±4.6 years. The linear regression results showed that none of the evaluated factors were predictors of caregiver difficulties. Conclusion: The present study showed that none of the factors mentioned could predict caregivers’ troubles. Future studies on the factors affecting the caregiver difficulty should be conducted to provide additional inform...

Background: University professors are a group of professional voice users who report more voice problems than the general population, which may affect their quality of life. The World Health Organization defines health as a multidimensional concept: "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) can assess university professors' vocal health even before having a voice problem. Objectives: We aimed to study the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in Iranian rehabilitation professors with and without vocal complaints. Methods: This cross-sectional online study enrolled 235 professors (100 men and 135 women) from Iranian rehabilitation colleges selected through stratified random sampling. The inclusion criterion was being a university professor. The assessment tools included VHI and a four-part questionnaire about vocal complaints. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test checked the normality of q...

Background and Objectives: Choosing a thesis subject is one of the critical concerns of master’s students because a student’s graduation depends on defending the thesis. The main research question was whether students with a lower grade point average (GPA) also require a lower score and spend more time and vice versa whether students with a higher GPA perform better for the thesis or not. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all master’s graduates of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences between 2008 and 2019 who had been recorded in a computer system were enrolled. Using the stratified sampling method, at least one sample was assigned to each stratum (field year), and the sample size was calculated to be 128 people. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 19 via correlation and regression analysis with a chi-square test. Results: In this study, the correlation coefficient between the duration of the study and thesis score was significant and obtained as -0.289 (P=0.001...

Background & Objectives: Phonological awareness is a part of metalinguistic knowledge that is significantly associated with a wide range of language skills and processes, including literacy, and reading and writing skills. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the phonological awareness skills in bilingual five years old Qashqai-Persian children with monolingual Persian speaking children. Methods: 15 bilingual and 15 monolingual children (10 girls and 5 boys) were selected from kindergartens in Firouzabad, Fars, in February and early March 2020 and evaluated by Auditory Test of Phonological Awareness Skills (ASHA-5) for 5-6 years old Persian speaking children. Results: The results implied that the mean total score (P=0.733), as well as the mean score of each component of phonological awareness skills, including syllable awareness (P=0.328), rhyme awareness (P=0.625), and phonemic awareness (P=0.946) in monolingual 5-year-old children, were higher than the Qashqai-Persian bilingual group, but the differences were not significant (P≥0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrated that phonological awareness skills in the Persian language are higher in monolingual children than in Qashqai-Persian bilingual children, but the differences were not significant. Therefore, paying more attention and increasing knowledge about this aspect of language in bilingual children can be more effective in planning for education, evaluation, and treatment of phonological disorders in this group of children, especially in preschool ages.

Background: University professors are a group of professional voice users who report more voice problems than the general population, which may affect their quality of life. The World Health Organization defines health as a multidimensional concept: "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) can assess university professors' vocal health even before having a voice problem. Objectives: We aimed to study the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in Iranian rehabilitation professors with and without vocal complaints. Methods: This cross-sectional online study enrolled 235 professors (100 men and 135 women) from Iranian rehabilitation colleges selected through stratified random sampling. The inclusion criterion was being a university professor. The assessment tools included VHI and a four-part questionnaire about vocal complaints. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test checked the normality of quantitative data. The Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests compared the two groups. The data were analyzed by SPSS21 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The rate of voice problems was significantly more in professors with vocal complaints (29.12%) than in those without complaints (9%), according to VHI30 (P < 0.001). The mean VHI differences between the two groups, with and without vocal complaints, were significant in the scores of the total scale (P < 0.000) and its subtests physical (P < 0.000), emotional (P < 0.000), and functional (P < 0.002). Some information was also obtained about vocal complaints in professors, including the frequency of nine vocal complaints. The frequency of the complaints was 64.1% for vocal fatigue, 61.2% for hoarseness, 24.3% for pain, 16.5% for breathy voice, 15.5% for strain, 13.6% for monotone voice, 11.7% for pitch breaks, 5.8% for aphonia, 4.9% tremor in professors with vocal complaints, 78.64% for the effect of vocal complaints on communication, and 72.8% (acute) and 27.2% (chronic) for the duration of vocal complaints. Conclusions: Iranian university professors of rehabilitation science with vocal complaints had higher VHI scores than those without vocal complaints, which shows they may be apt to voice problems. Vocal fatigue was the most common voice complaint, and voice tremor was the least. Also, most reported complaints were acute that affected professors' communication. In future research, it seems necessary to design comprehensive prevention and treatment programs focusing on the vocal health of professors in rehabilitation colleges.

Background: Handwriting is one of the most common reasons for referral to occupational therapy among children with specific learning disorders (SLDs). The Persian handwriting assessment tool (PHAT) is a valid assessment instrument. It is important to clarify the reliability of this assessment tool for the accuracy of results and certain clinical uses in Iranian children with SLDs. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the internal consistency, test-retest, and inter-rater reliability of the PHAT in children with SLDs aged 10 to 12 years in the Iranian context. Methods: Thirty children (mean ± SD 132.33 ± 53.8 months) with SLDs, studying in grades 4 to 6, were recruited from special education schools and rehabilitation clinics from January to May 2022. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to determine internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability, respectively. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) were computed to establish absolute reliability. Results: Internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.98 to 0.99), as was inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.95 to 1.00). Test-retest reliability was good to excellent (0.86 to 1.00). The SEM and MDC values for test-retest reliability were 0 to 0.47 and 0 to 1.29, respectively. Finally, the SEM (0 -0.21) and MDC (0 -0.57) values were acceptable for inter-rater reliability. The PHAT is a reliable assessment tool for Iranian children with SLDs aged 10 to 12 years. Further, clinicians can utilize this tool to identify handwriting difficulties in children with SLDs aged 10 to 12 years, which leads to more targeted interventions.