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No description available.

This study examined the use of music as an intervention tool with primary school aged children with Specific Language Impairment, specifically in the linguistic areas of semantics, pragmatics and oral narrative. As teachers and speech pathologists have the most professional contact with children with language impairment, they would benefit from access to suitable music activities. As it cannot be assumed that they have musical training, activities must be designed to be easy to use and adapt. The main aims of the study were (1) to determine whether a range of music activities designed to teach specific language skills were suitable for language intervention programmes, and (2) to ascertain the extent to which teachers and speech pathologists could use these activities (and similar activities) in language intervention. A preliminary survey of Grade Two teachers in Language Development Centres (LDCs) in Perth, Western Australia provided the basis for specific skills to be targeted. Music activities were designed and implemented with a Grade Two class in a Language Development Centre. Four of the students were selected as case studies in order to evaluate the impact of the activities. The classroom teacher was also studied as a case example to determine the usefulness of the activities for professionals with no musical training. Additionally, surveys of teachers in LDCs and speech pathologists (both public facilities and private practice) working with children in the Perth metropolitan region were conducted. Evaluations by the researcher, classroom teacher, a speech pathologist and the four student case studies indicated that the activities designed in this study addressed the specific language goals appropriately, were suitable for use with groups, and that the students were learning and developing the targeted language skills. In addition, the activities were suitable for use by professionals with little musical background, and were perceived by the teacher to be adaptable for different skill levels and age groups. This suggests that music can be effectively used in semantic, pragmatic and oral narrative intervention for primary school aged children with specific language impairment.

Despite the popularity of home program interventions there is little evidence to demonstrate effectiveness, particularly when an explicit family centred framework is adopted. This single-group pre-post design study evaluates the impact of a standardised occupational therapy home program implemented with a group of 20 children (2-7 years, mean age 3.8)with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The study measured the effect of the program using: goal attainment scaling(GAS);pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI); and quality of upper extremity test(QUEST). In addition, parent participation intensity was measured through a home program log. The use of a standardised occupational therapy home program for children with cerebral palsy is recommended as an effective method to achieve therapy goals. Further research using more rigorous designs is required to fully explore treatment efficacy. / Master of Science (Hons.)

Previous research on contextual interference theory in controlled laboratory situations consistently illustrated that random practice was superior to blocked practice when learning motor skills. However, when considered in relation to physical education class settings the findings of the contextual interference experiments were not as uniform. Furthermore, the results of the contextual interference research were ambiguous when an open skill was used as the experimental task, with no definite trend evident. Random practice was found more effective for learning (del Rey, 1989) whereas French, Rink and Werner (1990) demonstrated blocked practice to be superior. In the present study, the influence of high and low contextual interference as practice schedules was investigated within an applied sports setting using an open sports skill as the experimental task. Two groups of boys and girls, 8-9 and 10-12 years of age, were taught a forehand tennis groundstroke using both their preferred and non-preferred hands over a ten week coaching and practice period. The findings showed that male subjects were significantly better at the experimental task than female subjects at the pre-test stage only. The result also demonstrated that the 10-12 year old subjects were significantly better than the 8-9 year olds at the task with the exception of the preferred hand at the post and retention test stage. The contextual interference effect was demonstrated in the retention phase on the preferred hand of the 10-12 year old subjects where the random practice group was significantly better than the blocked practice group in an applied sports setting. These findings were discussed in relation to the role of cognition in the learning of these motor skills and the influence of the subjects related background experiences.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: D. Pawluch. Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-228).

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited pathological condition which can be treated but not cured and is ultimately life threatening. Those affected by cystic fibrosis require daily treatment to minimize the symptoms of the illness and retard the progression of pulmonary deterioration. An important component of the prophylactic therapy regime is chest physiotherapy which enhances the clearance of lung secretions. However, chest physiotherapy is time consuming and not always enjoyable, particularly for infants and toddlers. This study utilized an independent and repeated measures design to evaluate the effect of recorded music as an adjunct to daily routine chest physiotherapy on children's enjoyment, caregivers' enjoyment and caregivers' perception of time taken to complete the routine. Participants were caregivers of one or more children with cystic fibrosis who were aged between 4½ months and 24 months at the commencement of the clinical trial and required chest physiotherapy on a daily basis. / The children's cystic fibrosis care was managed by the Department of Thoracic Medicine at the Royal Children's Hospital in Victoria. Participants were randomly allocated into treatment and control groups and were involved in the study for 12 weeks. Participants in the treatment group were given the treatment tape: a specifically compiled music tape consisting of instrumental music and children's songs, newly composed for use as an adjunct to chest physiotherapy. Participants in the control group received no tape for the first 6 weeks, then received their choice from two commercially available, children's audiocassettes) both of which were familiar to the participants. Enjoyment and perception of time were assessed at the commencement of the trial and then twice more at 6-week intervals. After 6 weeks of using the treatment tape, children's and caregivers' enjoyment of chest physiotherapy increased significantly compared to no music. There was no change in perception of time taken to complete the chest physiotherapy after using the treatment tape. Use of the familiar music tape was not associated with significant increases in enjoyment for children or caregivers. Familiar music did not alter the perception of time taken to complete the routine. The results suggest that recorded music is an effective adjunct to daily chest physiotherapy which enhances caregivers' and children's enjoyment, particularly when that music is specifically compiled for use with the physiotherapy.

Psychometric properties of two systematic observation tools, the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) and the Children's Activity Rating Scale (CARS), were examined for use with individuals with mental retardation (MR). Eleven children with MR were videotaped while participating in gym-based physical activity. Accelerometer data were collected and synchronized with the observational data. Three raters coded each videotape twice each with SOFIT and CARS. Generalizability theory analysis indicated that SOFIT had low error variance due to rater, trial, and interaction terms. This provides evidence that SORT has good reliability (��=0.98). Concurrent validity evidence for SORT indicated that SORT may not be an appropriate tool for use with individuals with MR. Validity coefficients (r) between accelerometer data and SOFIT scores ranged from -0.44 to +0.39, indicating less than 20% shared variability. G-theory analysis for CARS also indicated that CARS demonstrates sufficient reliability for use with individuals with MR (��=0.76). There was a higher level of error variance associated with rater for the CARS instrument which indicates that more training on this tool may be necessary. Validity evidence for CARS was somewhat stronger than SOFIT with correlations between accelerometer data and CARS interval scores ranging from -0.52 to +0.79 (r��=0.62). Systematic observation tools may not differentiate between the low physical activity levels of individuals with mental retardation with may have caused the low validity levels. These findings indicate that systematic observations tools provide strong reliability evidence and weak validity evidence for use with individuals with mental retardation, and should not be used for this group. / Graduation date: 2003

High impact loading activities such as jumping, performed during childhood is advocated as one preventive method for increasing peak bone mass. Thus, we conducted a randomized intervention to examine the effect of high impact loading on bone mass in 34 pre-pubescent boys and girl over a seven month period. Participants meeting all inclusion criteria were randomized into either a jumping (n=18) or stretching group (n=16), both of which exercised three times per week for 15 minutes. The jumping group completed 100 jumps off 24-inch boxes each session, while the stretching group performed low impact flexibility exercises. Attrition was 85% (6 drop outs), with an overall attendance rate of 95%. Bone area and bone mineral content (BMC) was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometery (Ho logic QDR 1000/W) for the left hip (femoral neck, greater trochanter, total hip), and lumbar spine (L[subscript 2-4]). Other measures were body composition (Lang skinfold calipers); physical activity (self-report questionnaire); and calcium intake (food survey). All measurements were assessed at baseline and 7 months. Significance is denoted as p<.05. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no baseline difference between groups for age, height, weight, body fat, physical activity, or calcium intake (p>.05); however, gender differences were found for FN BMC at baseline (p<.05). Repeated measures ANOVA identified significant group differences for FN BMC (p=.015), with a trend for significance for FN area (p=.055). No significant differences in BMC or bone area were found at all other skeletal sites (p>.05). No group by gender interactions were found at baseline or at the completion of the seven month intervention. No significant differences between groups were identified for body composition, physical activity, or calcium intake in repeated measures ANOVA analyses (p>.05). In conclusion, 100 jumps performed 3 times per week at approximately 8x body weight were sufficient to stimulate an osteogenic response at the femoral neck in pre-pubescent boys and girls. Implementing jumping exercises into regular physical activity programs during pre-pubescent growing years may increase peak bone mass and potentially reduce the onset of osteoporosis. / Graduation date: 1999

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000.