Shyness is a form of social isolation and withdrawal stemming from concerns about social judgment, particularly during new situations or tests. Shy students are afraid of interacting with others, leading to problems and frustration at... more
Shyness is a form of social isolation and withdrawal stemming from concerns
about social judgment, particularly during new situations or tests. Shy students
are afraid of interacting with others, leading to problems and frustration
at school. Teachers play an important role in identifying and helping
these students. The research objective was to compare teachers’ and counselors’
strategies and beliefs in dealing with shy students with their strategies
and beliefs in dealing with average and exuberant students. The research
examined whether these attitudes are influenced by type of student, gender,
role, and teachers’/counselors’ own shyness. Research participants included
60 teachers and 60 counselors from state secular elementary schools across
Israel who were presented with vignettes describing different types of children
(shy, average, exuberant). The results revealed almost no differences
between teachers and counselors in their beliefs or strategies. Both groups
had a great deal of confidence in the academic and intellectual abilities of
average students and much less in those of shy or exuberant students. Both
preferred peer-focused strategies and indirect strategies (seeking information
in the literature or from colleagues) than high-powered strategies. The
findings clarify the importance of including shyness and student temperament
in the educational counseling training curriculum.
about social judgment, particularly during new situations or tests. Shy students
are afraid of interacting with others, leading to problems and frustration
at school. Teachers play an important role in identifying and helping
these students. The research objective was to compare teachers’ and counselors’
strategies and beliefs in dealing with shy students with their strategies
and beliefs in dealing with average and exuberant students. The research
examined whether these attitudes are influenced by type of student, gender,
role, and teachers’/counselors’ own shyness. Research participants included
60 teachers and 60 counselors from state secular elementary schools across
Israel who were presented with vignettes describing different types of children
(shy, average, exuberant). The results revealed almost no differences
between teachers and counselors in their beliefs or strategies. Both groups
had a great deal of confidence in the academic and intellectual abilities of
average students and much less in those of shy or exuberant students. Both
preferred peer-focused strategies and indirect strategies (seeking information
in the literature or from colleagues) than high-powered strategies. The
findings clarify the importance of including shyness and student temperament
in the educational counseling training curriculum.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Sexting (sending, receiving, and forwarding nude, semi-nude, or sexually explicit content) entails risks for adolescents; therefore, it is important for parents to be able to communicate with their children about its implications. The... more
Sexting (sending, receiving, and forwarding nude, semi-nude, or sexually explicit content) entails risks for adolescents; therefore, it is important for parents to be able to communicate with their children about its implications. The goal of the present study was to identify parental characteristics that lead to dysfunctional communication (lower quality of communication) about sexting, on a sample of 427 parents (336 mothers and 91 fathers) of Israeli adolescents aged 10-18 years and to determine whether parents' perceived severity of sexting and the degree to which they perceive their adolescent to be susceptible to sexting function as mediating factors. Parents completed a set of questionnaires online. Findings indicated that authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were positively associated with dysfunctional parent-child communication about sexting. Authoritative style was inversely related to dysfunctional communication and was mediated by positive attitudes toward sex education. Additionally, authoritative parents were capable of assessing the severity of their children's sexting activities, and the degree to which their children were susceptible to engage in sexting. The quality of the discussion initiated by authoritative parents appears to have enabled them to be aware of adolescent behaviors and to adjust their communication about the inherent risks. Findings suggest that the perception of sexting as too risky diminishes parents' ability to conduct a high-quality discussion about it. In conclusion, research findings emphasize parents' role in mediation of the online experiences of their children and conducting a constructive discussions with them about sexting.
Research Interests:
There is a paucity of literature regarding the daily routines of young children (4–7 years) and their perception of their performance. Research indicates that children's involvement in treatment therapy improves their... more
There is a paucity of literature regarding the daily routines of young children (4–7 years) and their perception of their performance. Research indicates that children's involvement in treatment therapy improves their self‐consciousness, which contributes in return to the therapy's progress. Until recently, occupational therapists set goals for children by involving their parents in the planning. However, recent studies indicate that children are aware of their performance and can provide reliable data, given an evaluation that is adapted to their stage of development. “Make My Day” (MMD) is a new evaluation developed for young children, which provides information regarding the child's performance with respect to their daily activities. The MMD incorporates two versions – one for the children's self‐report and the other for the parent's report. Participants included 62 healthy 4‐ to 7‐year‐old children of Arab‐Israeli decent and their parents. They were assessed using the MMD, Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting (PEGS), Time Organization and Participation (TOPS) and a socio‐demographic questionnaire. Correlations between the MMD and the TOPS/PEGS were examined regarding the differences between children's and parents' reports of performance in three age groups (concurrent validity). Results demonstrated that children's self‐report of their occupational performance in daily tasks are reliable and valid. Thus, occupational therapists may obtain data from the child himself or herself and not only from the parents. Further research on the MMD is recommended in other clinical populations to increase our knowledge of their daily functioning and of MMD's validity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Date Presented 03/27/20 Adolescents divide their time among occupation domains essential for developing daily life management and well-being into adulthood. The Time Organization and Participation Scale (TOPS) assesses self-perception and... more
Date Presented 03/27/20 Adolescents divide their time among occupation domains essential for developing daily life management and well-being into adulthood. The Time Organization and Participation Scale (TOPS) assesses self-perception and emotional implications of time-organization abilities. This study’s results present TOPS’s internal reliability for adolescents and their parents and identify gender-related differences. Time organization should be considered for assessing and developing interventions among adolescents. Primary Author and Speaker: Liron Lamash Additional Authors and Speakers: Sara Rosenblum Contributing Authors: Tsameret Ricon
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Abstract Aims Occupational therapy services include measurement and promotion of time organization as important for adolescents' daily life management and well-being into adulthood. This study examined the internal consistency... more
Abstract Aims Occupational therapy services include measurement and promotion of time organization as important for adolescents' daily life management and well-being into adulthood. This study examined the internal consistency reliability of the Time Organization and Participation Scale (TOPS) among adolescents and their parents, associations between time organization and age, gender differences in time organization, and agreement levels between adolescents' and parents' perceptions of time-organization abilities. Methods Seventy-five adolescents with typical development and their parents completed the TOPS self-report and parent versions. Results Both TOPS versions showed high internal consistency (.80–.94). No significant correlations were found between age and time-organization patterns. Girls self-reported significantly more emotional response following disorganization in time. Parents' total scores explained 52.1% of the variance in their children's total scores. Conclusions Adolescence, a critical transitional period of preparing for independent adult life, involves a continual interaction between person, occupation, and environment while using skills to organize in time. The TOPS’s self- and parent-reports are reliable and can raise awareness of time-organization deficiencies in daily activities and emotional consequences. The use of the TOPS to assess adolescents’ time-organization abilities can inform intervention design to help adolescents develop an awareness of their time use and foster their daily performance.
Research Interests:
Abstract Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided... more
Abstract Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided a platform for the victims of sexual abuse to tell their stories and explain why they chose not to report. The current research seeks to examine texts written in Hebrew, in which individuals describe retrospectively the reasons they did not report incidents of sexual abuse that they experienced as children or adolescents. Using the content analysis approach, three researchers read in depth the contents of 91 texts, marked major themes that emerged from the texts, and identified subcategories and classifications. The findings revealed five main reasons for not reporting sexual abuse: (1) relationship between superior and subordinate; (2) self-blame on the part of the victim; (3) assumption that no one would believe the victim; (4) minimization and repression of the abuse; (5) feelings of disappointment after (one’s own or others’) experience of reporting. Hence, it appears that the victims experience difficulty not only in coping with the harmful event and its effect on their lives, but also in reporting the incident. Many of them are left bearing the brunt of this abuse alone, because there is no place where they can feel safe to report and divulge information about the experience. These findings indicate that the authorities need to create and provide a safe space for reporting abuse, by both improving the efficacy of the police procedures and changing the social norms.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Sexting (sending, receiving, and forwarding nude, semi-nude, or sexually explicit content) entails risks for adolescents; therefore, it is important for parents to be able to communicate with their children about its implications. The... more
Sexting (sending, receiving, and forwarding nude, semi-nude, or sexually explicit content) entails risks for adolescents; therefore, it is important for parents to be able to communicate with their children about its implications. The goal of the present study was to identify parental characteristics that lead to dysfunctional communication (lower quality of communication) about sexting, on a sample of 427 parents (336 mothers and 91 fathers) of Israeli adolescents aged 10-18 years and to determine whether parents' perceived severity of sexting and the degree to which they perceive their adolescent to be susceptible to sexting function as mediating factors. Parents completed a set of questionnaires online. Findings indicated that authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were positively associated with dysfunctional parent-child communication about sexting. Authoritative style was inversely related to dysfunctional communication and was mediated by positive attitudes toward sex education. Additionally, authoritative parents were capable of assessing the severity of their children's sexting activities, and the degree to which their children were susceptible to engage in sexting. The quality of the discussion initiated by authoritative parents appears to have enabled them to be aware of adolescent behaviors and to adjust their communication about the inherent risks. Findings suggest that the perception of sexting as too risky diminishes parents' ability to conduct a high-quality discussion about it. In conclusion, research findings emphasize parents' role in mediation of the online experiences of their children and conducting a constructive discussions with them about sexting.
Research Interests:
Abstract Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided... more
Abstract Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided a platform for the victims of sexual abuse to tell their stories and explain why they chose not to report. The current research seeks to examine texts written in Hebrew, in which individuals describe retrospectively the reasons they did not report incidents of sexual abuse that they experienced as children or adolescents. Using the content analysis approach, three researchers read in depth the contents of 91 texts, marked major themes that emerged from the texts, and identified subcategories and classifications. The findings revealed five main reasons for not reporting sexual abuse: (1) relationship between superior and subordinate; (2) self-blame on the part of the victim; (3) assumption that no one would believe the victim; (4) minimization and repression of the abuse; (5) feelings of disappointment after (one’s own or others’) experience of reporting. Hence, it appears that the victims experience difficulty not only in coping with the harmful event and its effect on their lives, but also in reporting the incident. Many of them are left bearing the brunt of this abuse alone, because there is no place where they can feel safe to report and divulge information about the experience. These findings indicate that the authorities need to create and provide a safe space for reporting abuse, by both improving the efficacy of the police procedures and changing the social norms.
Research Interests:
The present study examined sexting habits (sending text messages, as well as nude or semi-nude photos, and/or requesting the same from others) among adolescents, as reported by 458 students (101 boys, 357 girls), with the aim of... more
The present study examined sexting habits (sending text messages, as well as nude or semi-nude photos, and/or requesting the same from others) among adolescents, as reported by 458 students (101 boys, 357 girls), with the aim of investigating whether and how sexting correlates with parenting styles and manifestations of parental social control. An online link was published on social media, asking participants who meet the research criteria to complete several questionnaires. About 30% of the participants reported sending sexual messages, and almost 32% reported that others, mainly strangers, asked them to send nude or semi-nude photos. Furthermore, sexting was more common among high-school students than among middle-school students, and asking another person to send nude or semi-nude photos was more common among boys than among girls. Lower parental social control was related to increased likelihood of sexting, and higher perception of permissive parenting style was associated with ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Engineering, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Physiotherapy, Qualitative Research, and 13 moreMotion perception, Imagination, Activities of Daily Living, Brain, Humans, Child, Movement, Clinical Sciences, Motor Skills, Psychomotor Performance, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the... more
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the concomitant development of online skills on the part of both lecturers and students.
Research Interests:
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the... more
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the concomitant development of online skills on the part of both lecturers and students. Naomi Schreuer, PhD, OT, Instructor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 31905, Israel; schreuer@research.haifa.ac.il Naomi Josman, PhD, OT, Senior Lecturer and Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, University of Haifa. Eynat Gal, MSc, OT, Instructor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, University of Haifa. Liat Chen, M.A, OT, Instructor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, University of Haifa. Tsameret Ricon, Ph.D., OT, Instructor, Department of Occupa...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Compassion fatigue is common among counselors who are exposed to the ongoing trauma of students and families at times of distress and crisis. The aim of this study was to examine compassion fatigue, perceived stress, optimism and... more
Compassion fatigue is common among counselors who are exposed to the ongoing trauma of students and families at times of distress and crisis. The aim of this study was to examine compassion fatigue, perceived stress, optimism and emotional distress among school counselors among 139 Israeli school counselors. The results indicated that compassion fatigue correlates positively both with perceived stress and with emotional distress and negatively with optimism. Levels of compassion fatigue were higher among Israeli school counselors working in elementary school than among those working in high school. Perceived stress mediated the association between compassion fatigue and emotional distress. The findings indicate that the personal resources available to helpers as well as vulnerability factors may affect levels of compassion fatigue and emotional distress
Research Interests:
Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided a... more
Sexual abuse among children and adolescents is a worldwide problem that concerns welfare and caregiving organizations as well as the police. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, which surfaced on social media networks in 2018, provided a platform for the victims of sexual abuse to tell their stories and explain why they chose not to report. The current research seeks to examine texts written in Hebrew, in which individuals describe retrospectively the reasons they did not report incidents of sexual abuse that they experienced as children or adolescents. Using the content analysis approach, three researchers read in depth the contents of 91 texts, marked major themes that emerged from the texts, and identified subcategories and classifications. The findings revealed five main reasons for not reporting sexual abuse: (1) relationship between superior and subordinate; (2) self-blame on the part of the victim; (3) assumption that no one would believe the victim; (4) minimization and repression ...
Research Interests:
Dolev-Cohen, M., & Ricon, T. (2020). Demystifying sexting: Adolescent sexting and its associations with parenting styles and sense of parental social control in Israel. Abstract The present study examined sexting habits (sending text... more
Dolev-Cohen, M., & Ricon, T. (2020). Demystifying sexting: Adolescent sexting and its associations with parenting styles and sense of parental social control in Israel. Abstract The present study examined sexting habits (sending text messages, as well as nude or semi-nude photos, and/or requesting the same from others) among adolescents, as reported by 458 students (101 boys, 357 girls), with the aim of investigating whether and how sexting correlates with parenting styles and manifestations of parental social control. An online link was published on social media, asking participants who meet the research criteria to complete several questionnaires. About 30% of the participants reported sending sexual messages, and almost 32% reported that others, mainly strangers, asked them to send nude or semi-nude photos. Furthermore, sexting was more common among high-school students than among middle-school students, and asking another person to send nude or semi-nude photos was more common among boys than among girls. Lower parental social control was related to increased likelihood of sexting, and higher perception of permissive parenting style was associated with asking someone else to send nude or semi-nude photos. These findings shed light on sexting among adolescents in Israel. Moreover, the findings show that adolescents do not report sexting either to parents or to other significant adults in their lives, such as teachers or other educational staff at school. The article concludes with implications for educators and educational counselors in view of these findings.
Research Interests:
רקע: מעורבות הילד/ה וההורים בכל שלבי ההתערבות הטיפולית נמצאו תורמים ליעילות הטיפול, להשגת המטרות ולשביעות רצון של כל המעורבים בתהליך. עם זאת, מחקרים מצאו כי יש פער בין הבנת המטפלים את חשיבות העבודה על פי עקרונות הגישה לבין אופן יישומה... more
רקע: מעורבות הילד/ה וההורים בכל שלבי ההתערבות הטיפולית נמצאו תורמים ליעילות הטיפול, להשגת המטרות ולשביעות רצון של כל המעורבים בתהליך. עם זאת, מחקרים מצאו כי יש פער בין הבנת המטפלים את חשיבות העבודה על פי עקרונות הגישה לבין אופן יישומה בפועל עם הילד/ה והמשפחה. מטרת המחקר: מטרת מחקר זה הייתה ללמוד על ציפיות ההורים ועל חוויותיהם באשר למעורבותם בטיפול בילד/תם. שיטה: המחקר נערך בגישה האיכותנית פנומנולוגית. המדגם כלל אימהות לילדים בעלי קשיים התפתחותיים, המטופלים בקליניקות פרטיות לריפוי בעיסוק במרכז הארץ ומהן נדגמו 10 אימהות שרואיינו ראיון עומק חצי מובנה. נערך ניתוח תוכן של הראיונות. תוצאות: בניתוח זוהו שלוש תמות מרכזיות: א. "המרפאה בעיסוק המדהימה" - אימהות ציינו את דמות המטפלת הרגישה, המכילה והזמינה, בעלת ההתייחסות הכוללנית לתפקודו הרחב של הילד; ב. אי בהירות בהגדרות - הגדרות המקצוע, מטרות הטיפול בריפוי בעיסוק וכן הגדרת תפקידי ההורה והמטפל/ת בשותפות ו-ג. "בין הקליניקה לבית" - האימהות התייחסו להעברה בין הנעשה בתוך חדר הטיפולים לבית וכן להשלכות של ההתערבות על חיי המשפחה. מסקנות והשלכות המחקר: מן המחקר עולה כי האימהות חוות את הטיפול בילדם/תן כטיפול רגיש ומתייחס לצורכי המשפחה כולה. הן מציינות את חשיבות ההתייחסות לילד בכל סביבות חייו (ובכלל זה הבית והמסגרת החינוכית) ואת זמינותה של המרפאה בעיסוק כנקודות חוזק משמעתיות. כמו כן, עולה עד כמה חשוב שמרפאות בעיסוק תגדרנה בבהירות את מהות המקצוע ואת תפקיד האימהות בטיפול ממוקד משפחה.
Abstract Background: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction accompanied by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Those... more
Abstract
Background: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit persistent deficits in social
communication and social interaction accompanied by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or
activities. Those with normal intelligence are considered to have high functioning autism spectrum disorder
(HFASD).
Method: The study participants were 20 children with HFASD aged 5 to 7 years old attending mainstream
educational programs and their parents (study group) and 30 typically-developing age-matched children from
the same socio-economic background and their parents (control group). Parents from both groups completed
the Short Sensory Profile to investigate their children’s sensory processing and the presence of Sensory
Processing Disorder. Children and parents from both groups were administered the Make My Day (MMD) to
obtain information regarding the children’s participation and performance in daily activities.
Results: The study group had significantly more sensory difficulties, which correlated with restricted daily
routines, compared with the control group. SPD significantly predicted the quality and independence of the
performance of daily activities by children with HFASD as measured by the MMD.
Conclusions: SPD may be a worthwhile therapeutic target for therapists seeking to improve participation in
and performance of daily activities, as identified by the MMD, among children with HFASD.
Background: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit persistent deficits in social
communication and social interaction accompanied by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or
activities. Those with normal intelligence are considered to have high functioning autism spectrum disorder
(HFASD).
Method: The study participants were 20 children with HFASD aged 5 to 7 years old attending mainstream
educational programs and their parents (study group) and 30 typically-developing age-matched children from
the same socio-economic background and their parents (control group). Parents from both groups completed
the Short Sensory Profile to investigate their children’s sensory processing and the presence of Sensory
Processing Disorder. Children and parents from both groups were administered the Make My Day (MMD) to
obtain information regarding the children’s participation and performance in daily activities.
Results: The study group had significantly more sensory difficulties, which correlated with restricted daily
routines, compared with the control group. SPD significantly predicted the quality and independence of the
performance of daily activities by children with HFASD as measured by the MMD.
Conclusions: SPD may be a worthwhile therapeutic target for therapists seeking to improve participation in
and performance of daily activities, as identified by the MMD, among children with HFASD.
Research Interests:
Abstract Background: No instrument with strong psychometric qualities exists to measure occupational performance in young children through child-reporting. We investigated the reliability and validity of the Make My Day (MMD) tool for... more
Abstract
Background: No instrument with strong psychometric qualities exists to measure occupational performance
in young children through child-reporting. We investigated the reliability and validity of the Make My Day
(MMD) tool for children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents.
Method: We administered a demographic questionnaire, the MMD, and two other tools having similar
objectives to a sample of 75 typically-developing Jewish-Israeli children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents.
For internal consistency, we pooled the data with those from our earlier study involving 62 typicallydeveloping
Arab-Israeli children.
Results: The MMD exhibited acceptable to good internal consistency for the pooled children’s (α = .65 – .89)
and parental (α = .68 – .84) data. Paired student’s t-testing revealed significantly higher children’s self-ratings
than parental ratings for performance quality, independence, and performance satisfaction in some activity
areas. Factor loadings were of adequate strength, significant, and consistent with the theoretical underpinnings
of the tool. The parental version of the MMD exhibits good concurrent validity and good discriminant
validity.
Conclusion: The MMD has good reliability and validity and, although some aspects remain to be
investigated, the MMD is the first self-report tool for children in this age group for which any such data have
been reported.
Background: No instrument with strong psychometric qualities exists to measure occupational performance
in young children through child-reporting. We investigated the reliability and validity of the Make My Day
(MMD) tool for children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents.
Method: We administered a demographic questionnaire, the MMD, and two other tools having similar
objectives to a sample of 75 typically-developing Jewish-Israeli children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents.
For internal consistency, we pooled the data with those from our earlier study involving 62 typicallydeveloping
Arab-Israeli children.
Results: The MMD exhibited acceptable to good internal consistency for the pooled children’s (α = .65 – .89)
and parental (α = .68 – .84) data. Paired student’s t-testing revealed significantly higher children’s self-ratings
than parental ratings for performance quality, independence, and performance satisfaction in some activity
areas. Factor loadings were of adequate strength, significant, and consistent with the theoretical underpinnings
of the tool. The parental version of the MMD exhibits good concurrent validity and good discriminant
validity.
Conclusion: The MMD has good reliability and validity and, although some aspects remain to be
investigated, the MMD is the first self-report tool for children in this age group for which any such data have
been reported.
Research Interests:
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often seem to possess a narrow repertoire of cognitive strategies. In particular, they have difficulties in learning and internalizing the rules and strategies that other people... more
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often seem to possess a narrow repertoire of cognitive strategies. In particular, they have difficulties in learning and internalizing the rules and strategies that other people intuitively use to approach common everyday problems. As a result, they often appear to have organizational, planning, memory and learning difficulties. The article proposes using a Concept Map (CM) as a visual strategy to facilitate interaction between a child with DCD, his/her family and therapist, as reflected in Client Centred and cognitive approaches. The CM is used as a method of assisting the child to identify, develop and utilize cognitive strategies in order to manage daily tasks effectively, as a tool in organizing his own therapy and in order to encourage participation. A demonstration of the concept mapping usefulness is brought by a case report. Further uses of concept mapping as a useful strategy within the framework of intervention remain to be studied.
Research Interests:
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the... more
This article introduces the process of incorporating online learning into the Occupational Therapy curriculum at the University of Haifa. It presents a case study of several courses developed using an online format and examines the concomitant development of online skills on the part of both lecturers and students.
Research Interests:
We evaluated the effects of early maternal deprivation (MD; age 7-14 days) alone or in combination with unpredictable chronic stress (UCS; MDUN; 28-84 days) on anxiety and learning in 90 days old adult rats. We hypothesized that exposure... more
We evaluated the effects of early maternal deprivation (MD; age 7-14 days) alone or in combination with unpredictable chronic stress (UCS; MDUN; 28-84 days) on anxiety and learning in 90 days old adult rats. We hypothesized that exposure to both stressors (MDUN) would be more detrimental than exposure to one or neither. Unexpectedly, adult rats from the MDUN group did not differ from control animals, whereas adult MD animals exhibited impaired avoidance learning. We next investigated the effect of juvenile-onset (30-90 days) versus adult-onset (60-90 days) stress on avoidance learning in adulthood (90 days). We found that adult-onset chronic stress impaired avoidance learning and memory whereas juvenile-onset stress did not. Thus, the results again indicate that juvenile exposure to UCS induces resilience rather than impairment.
Research Interests:
In most of the world’s societies and cultures, the biological mother and father bear primary responsibility to care for their child’s needs and to guide him or her through the process of entry into society [1]. The parent serves, for the... more
In most of the world’s societies and cultures, the biological mother and father bear primary responsibility to care for their child’s needs and to guide him or her through the process of entry into society [1]. The parent serves, for the most part, as the significant figure with the greatest amount of influence over the child’s life. Through his parent, the child learns the skills necessary to experience the world and function in it, whether the skills are in relation to survival needs such as eating, washing and mobility or developmental and social needs such as forming social relationships and developing the capacity to think and learn through play and supervision [2]. Thus the parent plays a critical but complex role in the development of his or her child, a role that requires development of a wide range of new behavioral, communicational, cognitive and emotional skills and capabilities in order to understand and cope with the challenges of child-rearing. Similarly, parenting styles and characteristics are influenced by a number of variables: The parent, the child, the interaction between them, and environmental variables such as culture, socio-economic status, and the existing family unit [2]. When children who suffer from behavioral difficulties do not receive the parental care they need, there is reasonable cause for concern that difficulties will develop in adulthood in a range of life areas that will have an impact on their lives and well-being and on their ability to adapt to society and contribute to it [3]. Accordingly, over the past 50 years parent-training programs have been developed to strengthen parents through learning and providing tools of experience and developmental knowledge, for the purpose of promoting the child’s sense of wellbeing and quality of life [2] [4]. Objective: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of evidence-based interventions for parents of young children (0 - 6), programs that are currently active in Israel and in the world, and to explicate the significant characteristics common to them that contribute to their effectiveness and success.
Research Interests:
There is a paucity of literature regarding the daily routines of young children (4-7 years) and their perception of their performance. Research indicates that children's involvement in treatment... more
There is a paucity of literature regarding the daily routines of young children (4-7 years) and their perception of their performance. Research indicates that children's involvement in treatment therapy improves their self-consciousness, which contributes in return to the therapy's progress. Until recently, occupational therapists set goals for children by involving their parents in the planning. However, recent studies indicate that children are aware of their performance and can provide reliable data, given an evaluation that is adapted to their stage of development. "Make My Day" (MMD) is a new evaluation developed for young children, which provides information regarding the child's performance with respect to their daily activities. The MMD incorporates two versions--one for the children's self-report and the other for the parent's report. Participants included 62 healthy 4- to 7-year-old children of Arab-Israeli decent and their parents. They were assessed using the MMD, Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting (PEGS), Time Organization and Participation (TOPS) and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Correlations between the MMD and the TOPS/PEGS were examined regarding the differences between children's and parents' reports of performance in three age groups (concurrent validity). Results demonstrated that children's self-report of their occupational performance in daily tasks are reliable and valid. Thus, occupational therapists may obtain data from the child himself or herself and not only from the parents. Further research on the MMD is recommended in other clinical populations to increase our knowledge of their daily functioning and of MMD's validity.
Research Interests:
Attention bias has been suggested as an etiological and maintaining factor in anxiety. However, empirical evidence establishing this causal association is scarce and has been provided only in adults. In this preliminary study, we tested... more
Attention bias has been suggested as an etiological and maintaining factor in anxiety. However, empirical evidence establishing this causal association is scarce and has been provided only in adults. In this preliminary study, we tested whether an induction of attentional bias can cause changes in vulnerability to stress in children reporting normal anxiety levels. Twenty-six 7-12 year-old children were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was exposed to a training condition designed to induce an attentional bias away from threat. The other group was exposed to a training condition designed to induce an attentional bias toward threat. Children who were trained to attend to threat developed attentional vigilance to threat-related information. The training procedure was ineffective with children who were trained to avoid threat, and their attention remained unbiased. Children from both training groups reported elevated depression scores following stress-induction. However, only the children who were trained to attend to threat subsequently reported elevations in anxiety. The findings suggest that biased attentional responses to threat, among children, can exert a specific influence on the tendency to experience anxiety in the face of stress.