This study compared language use and social interaction in children with autism who received two forms of occupational therapy. The first form was using standard techniques and the other form incorporated animals. Twenty-two children between the ages of 7 and 13 from a public school in Virigina received both forms of therapy in a school based occupational therapy program for children with autism. The results suggest that the children had a greater use of language and social interaction in sessions incorporating animals when compared to sessions using standard occupational therapy techniques. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that the therapeutic use of animals may be an effective way to engage a wide variety of therapy clients, as well as to enhance the effectiveness of established occupational therapy techniques.

The findings of this article showed that those with CHF reported significant reductions in participation in all four domains. The main domain was activity retention (leisure, IADLs and social). Results for depression, cognition, and participation showed that those with CHF have functioning problems and depressive symptoms were present. However, there was no correlation between memory and attention performance. This study was limited to the sample size because it was less than 30. It also stated few participants did not complete the study because of fatigue and scheduling issues, but it never stated how many dropped out. This may affect population validity of the study because it is unknown if there was mortality. Also, the 27 subjects used were all from the same hospital (convenient sample) and this may also pose a threat to population validity. The results of the study suggest that management of CHF should expand in focus from physical functioning and physically demanding activities to consider cognitive and psychological functioning in the context of all life situations. Occupational therapy can play a vital role in helping those with CHF and their psychosocial impairments (decreasing depression), while getting them back into the community and functioning in their everyday tasks, which may also reduce symptoms of depression. I used this article because the facility I'm at now admits a lot of cardiac patients and many have depressive symptoms as they are recovering from their cardiac impairments and returning to their everyday lives in the community.

The study evaluated an occupational therapy nutrition education program for children who are obese with the use of two interactive games. A quasi-experimental study was carried out at a school Brazil. A convenient sample of 200 children ages 8-10 years old participated in the study. Data was collected through interviews, observation, and focus group, comparing two interactive games based on the food pyramid (video game and board game) used individually and then combined. Both play activities were efficient in the mediation of nutritional concepts, with a preference for the board game. The attention strategy was most applied at the video game. It was concluded that both games promoted the learning of nutritional concepts. It was also confirmed that the effectiveness of the games was also affected by the child's environment. This study needs further research and should be addressed with a larger sample size.

Janszky, J., Blom, S., Georgiades, A., Laszlo, K., Alinaghizadeh, H., Ahnve, S. (2007) study aimed to evaluate the effect of a 1-year stress management program, aimed at reducing symptoms of depression and vital exhaustion (VE) in women in coronary heart disease (CHD). The study included 247 women who were conveniently recruited after a cardiac event of AMI, PCI, CABG at Karolinska University Hospital at Huddinge or at St. Gorans Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. The experimental group which included stress management (20 2-hour sessions) and medical care by a cardiologist or the control group that consisted of usual care health post heart surgeries with no stress management session. The study had many limitations, first were women who did not want to participate in the 1 year intervention were not compared to those who did. The study also did not enroll subjects who may have been considered healthier. The subjects in the treatment group were in the care of a cardiologist and the self-rated vital exhaustion and depressive symptom measures may have been biased. The results of the study included that vital exhaustion for both groups improved over time and the decreased amount of VE was more pronounced in the intervention group. The change in depressive symptoms between the two groups did not differ.

Beckie, T., Beckstead, J. (2010) aimed to study was to focus on the quality of life among women in a traditional cardiac rehabilitation program compared to those completing a tailored program that included motivational interviewing of behavior changes. The study included 252 participants over that age of 21 with myocardial infarction, Angina, CABG, and PCI were studied 3 days a week for 6 months. The participants were divided into two groups. The experimental group included the tailored program and motivational interviewing and the control group used a traditional cardiac rehabilitation program. The study had multiple limitations that included all women were of one ethnicity from a single institution in southeastern U.S. Lastly, studying the efficacy of a program like this is difficult and it is unaware to know if the treatments observed would persist beyond the 6 months. The tailored group showed a positive influence on the subjects QOL. Women with CHD may be better served by first identifying the important psychological and psychosocial variables that influence QOL.

This study examined the role of OT and how they can assist caregivers who care for those with dementia. Most OT interventions for caregivers are designed to reduce negative consequences of caregiving by building skills to manage those problems. Caregivers often face depression, stress, work overload, and caregiver burden when they can no longer care for their loves ones anymore. This study examined 15 caregivers who were caring for their spouses and their caregiver duties were analyzed and observed. Ways OT can educate those caregivers are by training them to engage in positive behaviors and making adjustments in their attitudes. Taking this approach as a caregiver will promote positive thinking and acts as they care for their loved ones.

The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of strategies use in response to problems performing daily occupations by those with dementia. This qualitative study analyzed several different studies. From the studies used, it was discovered that those with dementia who continued to participate in occupational tasks has a better quality of life and it also improved the caregivers quality of life and their abilities to care for their loved ones. Occupational therapists play a vital role with those who suffer from dementia and care assist them, while education there caregivers on the importance of participating in daily occupations.

This study examined occupational performance issues amongst soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The researches focused on ways to motivate these individuals to participate in their daily occupations. Getting back to civilian life after serving in the military and experiencing war is the most challenging and most common mental health and brain injury. Thirty 20-29 year olds were interviewed using the COPM. These individuals were also screened for PTSD, depression, TBI, and alcohol abuse. The top five challenges of occupational performance from using the COMP were relationships, school physical health, sleeping and driving. The role of occupational therapy is vital for their individuals to reintegrate them into the communities and to the daily occupations.

This study aimed to determine the course of anxiety, depression, and perceptions of control, along with the influence of perception of control in patients undergoing CABG before surgery and after surgery, along with two weeks post discharge. The study included 231 participants having CABG surgery were conveniently recruited from two hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Patients took a series of questionnaires before surgery, after surgery, and two weeks post discharge. The questionnaires asked questions on anxiety and depression and were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Control Attitudes Scale. Limitations of the study included the use of a convenient sample and loss of participants for the second and third interview. The results showed perceptions of control were moderate before surgery and improved once the surgery was completed, and again in early recovery in the second week after patients had gone home. Perceptions of control are important because they had a positive influence on concurrent anxiety and depression at all times.

This study aimed to focus on the quality of life among women in a traditional cardiac rehabilitation program compared to those completing a tailored program that included motivational interviewing of behavior changes. The study included 252 participants over that age of 21 with myocardial infarction, Angina, CABG, and PCI were studied 3 days a week for 6 months. The participants were divided into two groups. The experimental group included the tailored program and motivational interviewing and the control group used a traditional cardiac rehabilitation program. The study had multiple limitations that included all women were of one ethnicity from a single institution in southeastern U.S. Lastly, studying the efficacy of a program like this is difficult and it is unaware to know if the treatments observed would persist beyond the 6 months. The tailored group showed a positive influence on the subjects QOL. Women with CHD may be better served by first identifying the important psychological and psychosocial variables that influence QOL.