Hashem Abu Tariah

The Role of Religion in the Recovery from Alcohol and Substance Abuse Among Jordanian Adults

The purpose of this study is to understand religious factors role during recovery period among Jordanian receiving treatment for alcohol and substances abuse. Participants were asked to answer open-ended questions related to role of religion on their recovery from alcohol and substances abuse. Content analysis was used to explore the role of religion on their recovery process. One hundred and forty-six clients from two treatment centers participated with two main themes that emerged from the analysis: role of religion and role of religious men. Religion not only helps during the recovery process, but also is considered as a protector from drug and alcohol abuse in the future.

Serial casting versus stretching technique to treat knee flexion contracture in children with spina bifida: A comparative study

BACKGROUND Severe knee contractures that develop soon after muscle imbalance may not improve with stretching exercises and splinting. An alternative treatment is serial casting, which has been used to promote increased range of motion. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of using serial casting and passive stretching approaches to treat knee flexion contracture in children with spina bifida. METHODS In a pre/post randomized controlled study, ten participants were included in the serial casting group, while eight participants were included in the passive stretching intervention group. The degree of knee extension was measured at baseline, immediately after intervention, and at a one-year follow-up using a standard goniometer. RESULTS Both groups showed significant improvements in the degree of flexion contracture at the post-treatment evaluation and the follow-up evaluation. The serial casting group showed significant improvements in knee flexion contracture at the post-treatment evaluation, t (9)=13.4, p < 0.001, and the one-year follow-up evaluation, t (9) = 7.46, p < 0.001. The passive stretching group also showed significant improvements in knee flexion contracture at the post-treatment evaluation, t (7) =2.6, p < 0.05, and the one-year follow-up evaluation, t (7) = 3.6, p < 0.05. However, statistically significant improvements in the serial casting group compared with passive stretching group in relation to the degree of flexion contracture were found at the immediate post-treatment evaluation, F(1, 15)=246, p=0.0001, and the one-year follow-up evaluation, F (1, 15)=51.5, p=0.0001. CONCLUSION The outcomes of this study provide the first evidence that serial casting may be a useful intervention in treating knee flexion contracture in children with spina bifida. However, further investigations into serial casting, as well as investigations into the use of serial casting with other interventions, are warranted.

The psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Satisfaction with Daily Occupations

Introduction There is a shortage of tools designed for use by occupational therapy practice in Arabic-speaking countries. The purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the original Satisfaction with Daily Occupations tool to Arabic and assess the psychometric properties of the adapted tool. Method A cross-cultural adaptation process was performed. Face, content, and criterion validity were examined, as well as internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The study included 147 healthy adults and 73 patients with cerebrovascular accident. They were purposefully selected from two countries (Kuwait and Jordan). Results The adapted tool comprised six domains and a total of 14 items. Face and content validity were established through prolonged content analysis. Criterion validity was indicated by significant differences between the healthy and the cerebrovascular accident group in all areas of the Satisfaction Daily Occupations scale (p < 0.001). Satisfactory overall internal consistency (α = 0.77) and good test–retest reliability for the total satisfaction score for the healthy (inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.984) and the cerebrovascular accident group (inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.933) were found. Conclusions The Satisfaction with Daily Occupations-Arabic version is a valid and reliable tool for use with Arabic-speaking occupational therapy clients. This study has several implications for occupational therapy education, practice, and research in the Arab world.

Health Professionals' Knowledge of Occupational Therapy in Jordan

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine if Jordanian health professionals have adequate understanding of occupational therapy. A convenience sample of 556 Jordanian physicians, nurses, and physical therapists from two hospitals completed a developed questionnaire about occupational therapy including general knowledge, areas of practice, therapy goals, treatment strategies, and perceptions. Results showed that physical therapists were more informed about occupational therapy than physicians and nurses, although the level of knowledge of occupational therapy was limited for all three groups. The implications of the results are discussed in addition to exploring ideas about improving the awareness of the profession.