This research report describes the reliability and validity of hand-held dynamometer measurements of knee extension force obtained from 13 patients referred for physical therapy. Results found that hand-held dynamometry can be used to obtain reliable measures of muscle strength; however, correlation between strength measures and function was not…

Presents an evaluation pf a training model that introduces graduate students from the professions of clinical psychology, education, physical therapy, and social work to interdisciplinary practice. Results indicate that, when compared with a control group, students who participated in the training model exhibited significant differences in…

Occupational and physical therapy students (n=78) were assigned to pairs based on learning style (both abstract-experimentation, both reflective-observation, or mixed). On a collaborative exercise, mixed pairs did not perform significantly better than homogenous ones. Pairs' average grades correlated strongly with performance, suggesting that…

A survey assessed the financial, family, educational, and psychosocial needs of 196 nontraditional students in physical- and occupational-therapy programs. Results indicate that 65% agreed that those needs were being met. Local clinical placements and stipends were more beneficial than part-time, night, or weekend opportunities. (JOW)

Describes how reflective practice is conceptualized and interpreted by practicing physiotherapists and undergraduate physiotherapy students. Analysis of qualitative interviews and workshops highlights both contextual and practical differences in modes of reflection by practitioners. Discussion notes the context of the task-oriented culture of the…

Physical therapy students (n=28) completed the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) and California Critical Thinking Skills Test before and after the academic year and after clinical placements. Greatest critical thinking improvements occurred in truth-seeking, critical thinking self-confidence, and deduction. Student review…

The authors of this article describe how infant massage can promote attachment and greater attunement between very young children and their parents. Infant massage instructors teach parents how to understand babies' states of arousal so they can read and respond appropriately to their cues. The authors detail the process of teaching infant…

It is estimated that 3.2% of Cuba's population of 11.4 million persons has a severe disability of some kind. Recent economic difficulties have, it may be assumed, had a negative impact on health service provision--which is free to all--and thus, on population health outcomes and nutritional levels. There is a traditional culture of family care for…

Children with multiple handicaps, including cerebral palsy (CP), often lose or regress in their functional ability through adolescence and young adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine functional and psychosocial changes in children, adolescents, and young adults with CP. A retrospective chart review and a prospective telephone…

Learning to move and moving to learn are vital aspects of every child's growth and development. Physical therapists and educators have consistently advocated the importance of being involved in a range of movement activities and games. Movement can provide an avenue for learning and interaction with others and can be linked to language and…

The study confirmed previous research indicating that workshop training by itself is an ineffective method of increasing direct care staff compliance to treatment prescriptions, and that providing direct staff supervisors with a training and management tool (prescriptive checklists) may be an effective alternative for serving multihandicapped…

Describes a competency-based, computer-managed instruction model that was developed and used in revising and managing the curricula of dietetic internship and physical therapy certificate programs. Results indicate that this approach to curriculum development is desirable and practical and has the potential for effectively serving future…

Distinctions are drawn between the disciplines of teaching and of therapy (physical and occupational); the roles of physical and occupational therapy in serving handicapped students directly or indirectly are considered; and the need for understanding the range of service delivery alternatives at the student's individualized education program is…

The neuromotor development of Down's syndrome (DS) infants is reviewed, current physical therapy approaches are cited, a neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) approach is described, and a study on the effects of NDT on motor performance in DS infants is reported. (SB)

The first of three successive classes of beginning physical therapy students (n=17) completed traditional cadaver anatomy lecture/lab; the next 17 a self-study computerized anatomy lab, and the next 20 both lectures and computer lab. No differences in study times and course or licensure exam performance appeared. Computerized self-study is a…