Factors Influencing Handwriting Development among Preschool Children: A Systematic Review

Handwriting development is essential for academic performance, yet the research on the factors contributing to it is scant. This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the factors contributing to handwriting development among preschool children that may benefit public health knowledge, especially among teachers, parents, and therapists. A systematic search was conducted using four databases: PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. During the preliminary search, 565 relevant studies were found. Screening, review selection, and characterization were performed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria included preschool children, quantitative, written in English, and published in January 2012 – January 2022. The exclusion criteria were studies involving children with specific diagnoses. A consensus agreement was obtained, and ten studies were eventually selected for the comprehensive review. Executive function, letter knowledge, motor skills, and writing surface were identified. These factors indicated that handwriting was not an independent process, as its acquisition involved numerous components. This systematic review confirmed that executive function, letter knowledge, motor skills, and writing surface influenced handwriting development. More randomized controlled trials should be conducted to provide more conclusive and exhaustive evidence

Advisory panel review on the feasibility of three intervention programmes for children with autism spectrum disorder

Introduction: The prevalence of children with autism spectrum disorder is increasing each year. Intervention programmes towards improving the occupational needs such as daily activities of these children are limited. This study aimed to collect opinions from advisory panel for the content validation of the three developed intervention programmes to be implemented among children with autism spectrum disorder aged between 6 to 12 years. The intervention programmes are; i) self-regulated learning, ii) sensory integration intervention and iii) activity-based intervention. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Twenty occupational therapists with more than three years’ experience working with children with autism spectrum disorders were recruited as advisory panel members. Re-searchers-developed questionnaire was used. The questionnaire consists of nine to eleven items. Each item consists of a five-point Likert scale for quantitative responses and open-ended questions for qualitative responses. Results: Advisory panel ratings of ‘Good’ to ‘Excellent’ was reported across most items in all three intervention programmes. Overall results suggested that the intervention programmes content was rated to be suitable for children with autism spectrum disorder. Constructive comments were adopted to clarify the activities and structure of the intervention programmes. Final development of the intervention programmes is presented. Conclusion: This study provides confidence for the interventions to be incorporated into the future randomised controlled trial

Online social participation among older malaysian living with dementia during the pandemic COVID-19: the ‘take the purple pledge’ project

The ‘Take the Purple Pledge’ project a collaborative project between UKM and the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) was conducted. The undergraduate students from the Speech Sciences, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Audiology programs organized this event as part of the Community Based Rehabilitation course requirement. The program’s main objective was to engage with individuals with dementia and their caregivers. The ‘Take the Purple Pledge’ project consisted of two parts: (i) an interactive session with individuals with dementia and (ii) posting posters and materials on social media to spread awareness about dementia among the public. The first part of the program was conducted via Zoom on 14th August 2021 from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, while the second part of the program was completed on the same date. For the interactive session, 99 participants comprising students, ADFM staff, individuals living with dementia, and their caregivers attended the Zoom session, filled with virtual activities such as exercises, memory games, gamebooks, checklists, and tours. Individuals with dementia, their caregivers and staff from ADFM provided positive feedback about the program. The ‘Take the Purple Pledge’ program not only allowed individuals with dementia and their caregivers to interact with other people, it also provided an opportunity for them to participate and be included in a social event during this challenging time

Translation, validity and reliability of a Malay version of the toddler sensory profile 2

Sensory processing is an essential development in toddlers. A common sensory measurement tool used by Malaysian occupational therapists is Toddler Sensory Profile 2 (TSP 2). However, the Malay version has yet to be translated and validated for TSP 2 among toddlers in Malaysia. The translation and validation are a necessary process due to cross-cultural differences between English-speaking and Malay-speaking communities. The main aim of this study is to translate and identify the validity and reliability of the Toddler Sensory Profile 2- Malay version (TSP 2-M). This study involved four phases: (I) Forward and backward translations; (II) Content validation by an expert panel; (Ill) Pre-testing through cognitive interviews; (IV) Internal consistency of psychometric measure through a pilot study. The results showed that the Content Validity Index (1-CVI) for TSP 2-M ranged from .88-1.0, while S-CVI/Ave was .99 and S-CVI/UA was equal to .89. The reliability of TSP 2-M was good with the Cronbach a coefficient .92. The Cronbach a coefficients for each section and quad­rant of the TSP 2-M ranged between .66 and.87. Based on the results, this study provided preliminary support for the validity and reliability of the TSP 2-M in Malaysia

A Systematic Review on Clinimetric Properties of Play Instruments for Occupational Therapy Practice

Play is considered the main occupation for children. Pediatric occupational therapists utilize play either for evaluation or intervention purpose. However, play is not properly measured by occupational therapists, and the use of play instrument is limited. This systematic review was aimed at identifying play instruments relevant to occupational therapy practice and its clinimetric properties. A systematic search was conducted on six databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, Scopus, and ASEAN Citation Index) in January 2020. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using Law and MacDermid’s Appraisal for Clinical Measurement Research Reports, and psychometric properties of play instruments were evaluated using Terwee’s checklist while the clinical utility is extracted from each instrument. Initial search identifies 1,098 articles, and only 30 articles were included in the final analysis, extracting 8 play instruments. These instruments were predominantly practiced in the Western culture, which consists of several psychometric evidences. The Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale is considered the most extensive and comprehensive play instrument for extrinsic aspect, whereas the Test of Playfulness + Test of Environmental Supportiveness Unifying Measure is a promising play instrument for intrinsic aspect on play, where both instruments utilize observation. My Child’s Play is a potential questionnaire-based play instrument. However, the current development of play instruments in the occupational therapy field is immature and constantly evolving, and occupational therapists should exercise good clinical reasoning when selecting a play instrument to use in practice

The use of sensory stimulations for children with behavioural and emotional problems : a systematic review

Background: the origin of behavioural and emotional problems of children is sensory based. Sensory stimulation intervention, therefore, is a common interventions used to address behavioural and emotional problems. However, the types of stimulations and intervention programmes used have not been systematically examined. The mechanism on how the different stimulations work is also not clear. A systematic review is required to identify the most effective sensory stimulation interventions applied to overcome behavioural and emotional issues among children. The mechanism on how the stimulations work will also be explored. The result of this systematic review will allow occupational therapists to select the best sensory stimulation treatment for children with behavioural and emotional problems. Method: a database search will be conducted through OT Seeker, Cochrane Library, Medline, PubMed, Embase, PsyINFO and CINAHL with the key terms used “sensory Integration” or “sensory stimulation” or “sensory stimuli” and “children” or “child*” and “behave*” or “stereotypical” or “emotion”. The range of literature in this review will be widely search from all years to the current year. Discussion/Outcome: this presentation will discuss the literature that exists on sensory stimulation interventions. In addition it will make recommendations for occupational therapy clinical practice. Conclusion: understanding the evidence of sensory stimulation interventions is essential to evidence-based occupational therapy practice. This presentation will be of interest to paediatric occupational therapists in addition to occupational therapy educators