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This study examined the effectiveness of telehealth parent coaching on occupational performance and executive functions of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and executive function deficits and parent self-efficacy. A one group pretest-posttest design was implemented with nine parents of children with ADHD ages 7-12 years old. The intervention consisted of ten, 60-minute, individual sessions, one per week delivered via telehealth. The parent program had three coaching components: goal setting, education, and the problem-solving process. Using strategies from the Four-Quadrant Model of Facilitated Learning, the results showed statistical improvement in performance and satisfaction of occupational performance and all executive functions scores of children except for the Shift and Emotional Control. Parent self-efficacy was also improved. These preliminary results suggest that the telehealth parent coaching program may potentially support a family who has a child with ADHD and executive function deficits.

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Learning disabilities (LD) can be associated with problems in the four stages of information processing used in learning: input, throughput, output, and feedback. These problems affect the child's ability to learn and perform activities in daily life, especially during academic activities. This study is a pilot study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of information processing strategy training using a combination of two approaches that address the ability to apply processing strategies during academic activities in children with LD. The two approaches are the Perceive, Recall, Plan, and Perform (PRPP) System of Intervention, which is a strategy training intervention, and the Four-Quadrant Model (4QM) of Facilitated Learning approach, which is a systematic facilitator technique. Twenty children with LD were assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n = 10) and the control group (n = 10). Children in the experimental group received the intervention twice a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Each treatment session took approximately 50 minutes. Children in the control group received traditional intervention twice a week for 6 consecutive weeks. The results indicated that the combination of the PRPP System of Intervention and the 4QM may improve the participants' ability to apply information processing strategies during academic activities.

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Occupational therapy is a global profession represented by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). International research priorities are needed for strategic guidance on global occupational therapy practice. The objective of this study was to develop international research priorities to reflect global occupational therapy practice. A Delphi study using three rounds of electronic surveys, distributed to WFOT member organizations and WFOT accredited universities, was conducted. Data were analyzed after each round, and priorities were presented for rating and ranking in order of importance. Forty-six (53%) out of 87 WFOT member countries participated in the Delphi process. Eight research priorities were confirmed by the final electronic survey round. Differences were observed in rankings given by member organizations and university respondents. Despite attrition at Round 3, the final research priorities will help to focus research efforts in occupational therapy globally. Follow-up research is needed to determine how the research priorities are being adopted internationally.

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Thailand has high rates of maternity services; both antenatal care (ANC) and hospital delivery are widely used by its citizens. A recent Northern Thailand survey showed that Hmong women used maternity services at lower rates. Our objectives were to identify Hmong families' socio-cultural reasons for using and not using maternity services, and suggest ways to improve Hmong women's use of maternity services. In one Hmong village, we classified all 98 pregnancies in the previous 5 years into four categories: no ANC/home birth, ANC/home, no ANC/hospital, ANC/hospital. We conducted life-history case studies of 4 women from each category plus their 12 husbands, and 17 elders. We used grounded theory to guide qualitative analysis. Families not using maternity services considered pregnancy a normal process that only needed traditional home support. In addition, they disliked institutional processes that interfered with cultural birth practices, distrusted discriminatory personnel, and detested invasive, involuntary hospital procedures. Families using services perceived physical needs or potential delivery risks that could benefit from obstetrical assistance not available at home. While they disliked aspects of hospital births, they tolerated these conditions for access to obstetrical care they might need. Families also considered cost, travel distance, and time as structural issues. The families ultimately balanced their fear of delivering at home with their fear of delivering at the hospital. Providing health education about pregnancy risks, and changing healthcare practices to accommodate Hmong people's desires for culturally-appropriate family-centered care, which are consistent with evidence-based obstetrics, might improve Hmong women's use of maternity services.

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BACKGROUND: Motor imitation is truly essential for young children to learn new motor skills, social behavior and skilled acts or praxis. The present study aimed to investigate motor imitation ability between typically-developing children and dyspraxic children and to examine the development trends in both children groups. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The comparison ofmotor imitation was studied in 55 typically-developing children and 59 dyspraxic children aged 5 to 8 years. The Motor Imitation subtest consisted of two sections, imitation of postures and imitation of verbal instructions. Typically-developing children and dyspraxic children were examined for developmental trends. The independent samples t-test was used to analyze the differences between both groups. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze inter-age differences for each age group. RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences between dyspraxic and typically-developing children. Both typically-developing and dyspraxic children demonstrated age trends. The older children scored higher than younger children. CONCLUSION: Imitation is a primary learning strategy of young children. It is essential that children with dyspraxia receive early detection and need effective intervention. Typically-developing children and dyspraxic children showed higher mean score on the Imitation of Posture section than the Verbal Instructions section. Motor imitation competency, therefore, changes and improves with age.

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OBJECTIVES: To develop a Motor Praxis Ability Test (MPAT) and examine its psychometric properties. METHODS: The study consisted of two phases: items and scoring criteria of MPAT were developed in phase I. Content validity was clarified by the expert panel discussion method. The preliminary psychometric properties of the MPAT were examined in phase II. Data were collected with two samples consisting of typically-developing children and dyspraxic children. RESULTS: The results revealed high internal consistency reliability. The inter-rater and test-retest reliability for the total score of both sample groups were excellent. The results also revealed that the MPAT was able to discriminate between typical children and dyspraxic children. CONCLUSION: The current study concluded that the MPAT is a highly valid and reliable assessment tool. It can be also used as an appropriate assessment tool for screening and evaluating dyspraxia in children aged 5-8 years.

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