Jennifer A. Piatt

A Robot of My Own: Participatory Design of Socially Assistive Robots for Independently Living Older Adults Diagnosed with Depression

This paper presents an ongoing project using participatory design methods to develop design concepts for socially assistive robots SARs with older adults diagnosed with depression and co-occurring physical illness. We frame SARs development in the context of preventive patient-centered healthcare, which empowers patients as the primary drivers of health and aims to delay the onset of disease rather than focusing on treatment. After describing how SARs can be of benefit in this form of healthcare, we detail our participatory design study with older adults and therapists aimed at developing preventive SARs applications for this population. We found therapists and older adults to be willing and able to participate in assistive robot design, though hands-on participation was a challenge. Our findings suggest that important areas of concern for older adults with depression are social interaction and companionship, as well as technologies that are easy to use and require minimal intervention.

Problematic secondary health conditions among adults with spinal cord injury and its impact on social participation and daily life

Objective: This exploratory study describes the problematic secondary health conditions among adults with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and the impact these health concerns have on social participation and daily life. Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Setting: A community-based rehabilitation program within the United States. Participants: Fifty-six adults (33 males and 23 females; age 18 to 73 [M = 39.4, SD = 12.7]) with SCI participating in the community-based rehabilitation program. Methods: Subjects identified the top five problematic secondary health conditions related to his/her SCI, belief about the impact these conditions have on social participation and daily life, and if they believed the secondary health condition(s) were avoidable. Results: The top problematic areas identified were bladder control, pain, bowel control, and pressure ulcers, and 73% felt these problems were unavoidable. In addition, more than 66% had each of these problems continuously during the last 12 months. When examining the impact of the problematic secondary health conditions, 75% identified that the primary problem had a significant impact on social participation and 64% identified it significantly impacted daily life. Conclusion: Although the majority of the participants were actively participating in a community-based rehabilitation wellness program, it appears that they thought engagement in social participation and daily life were negatively impacted by the secondary health conditions and unavoidable. The results suggested unfulfilled goals despite the emphasized efforts of medical providers to help manage the secondary conditions. Future research should examine why individuals with SCI still have a difficult time managing secondary health conditions.

Examining Perceptions of Social Acceptance and Quality of Life of Pediatric Campers with Physical Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of social acceptance (SA) and quality of life (QOL) amongst youth with disabilities who participated in a weeklong residential camp experience with similar peers. Findings demonstrated moderate quantitative correlational results between the constructs of SA and QOL. Strong qualitative outcomes three months post camp demonstrate the powerful social impact of the camp experience. These findings related to the theme of a supportive community that is consistent with other findings on the therapeutic value of community at specialty camps for children with disabilities. Despite favorable social support memories, qualitative analysis revealed a general negative feeling from campers of the lack of transference of these positive social experiences to their local communities. This new finding, although preliminary in nature, begins to paint a picture of the possible need for the development of follow-on programming post social treatment at camp.

Outcomes of a Therapeutic Fly-Fishing Program for Veterans with Combat-Related Disabilities: A Community-Based Rehabilitation Initiative

The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of a therapeutic fly-fishing program for veterans with combat-related disabilities. A total of 40 veterans participated in the 4-day therapeutic fly-fishing program and this study. The outcomes examined included reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS), depression, perceived stress, functional impairment (i.e., work, relationships, physical, and everyday life), increasing self-determination, and leisure satisfaction. Each research participant completed pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up questionnaires. Repeated measures MANOVA and ANOVA were conducted to examine the differences between the three time points on each outcomes. The results indicated significant decreases from the pretest to posttest for symptoms of PTS, depression, perceived stress, and functional impairment, and an increase in leisure satisfaction from pretest to 3-month follow-up. These results highlight the use of therapeutic recreation programming for veterans with disabilities as a holistic approach to treatment and recovery.

Examining How the Perception of Health Can Impact Participation and Autonomy Among Adults with Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Studies examining participation as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as well as autonomy among the spinal cord injury population (SCI) are only starting to emerge. Little research has looked at how this population perceives their health status and the role this plays in active participation within their lives. Objective: This exploratory study was developed to determine whether the perception of health has an impact on participation and autonomy among adults with SCI. Methods: A convenience sample of adults with SCI currently receiving outpatient services from a rehabilitation hospital completed the online questionnaire. Forty-two subjects responded and were categorized into 2 groups: Group 1, positive perceived health, and Group 2, negative perceived health. The sample completed the Impact on Autonomy and Participation (IPA) that has 5 subscales (autonomy indoors, family role, autonomy outdoors, social life, and work/education) and demographic questions. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that perceived health had a significant impact on family roles, autonomy outdoors, social life, and work/education. Perceived health did not have a significant impact on autonomy indoors. Conclusion: The perception of health may have an impact on participation and autonomy within the areas of family role, outdoors, work/education, and social life. Implications for rehabilitation are included.

The Impact of Decreased Capacity to Experience Pleasure on Leisure Coping Strategies among Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder

Anhedonia is a key clinical feature of major depressive disorder (MDD) and affects ones capacity to experience pleasure. This study examined the extent to which anhedonia disrupts the use and the ...