Student Research Posters

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  Soda Tax Effect on Health Outcomes

  Kira Kuwada

  • Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), also called sugary drinks, are drinks that have added sugar or other sweetener.
  • Consumption of SSBs is a risk factor for chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.
  • Food deserts are areas that lack the access to affordable healthy foods and drinks.
  • Americans living in food deserts lack essential nutrients in their diets.
  • Previous research has shown that SSBs increase the risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease for all people.
  • Previous research has also shown that food deserts is associated to high consumption of SSBs.
  • The paper will be a review of the soda tax laws and also attempt to measure soda consumption with certain health outcomes by using food deserts as a proxy variable, as maybe the soda consumption-food desert measure can be used in the future to evaluate the impact of the soda tax in jurisdictions that have enacted that legislation.

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  Fragile X Syndrome and Family Occupations: Sertraline Treatment via Case Studies

  Decerie Mendoza, Tracy P. Ye, Martina C. Dualan, and Elena A. Javier

  Current research on children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) lacks inclusion of qualitative outcomes on the child’s daily occupational performance. Standardized measurements are frequently utilized and provide useful information, however, can be less sensitive to change (Berry Kravis et al., 2013) and miss capturing family perspectives and improvements within meaningful occupations. This research incorporates family perspectives via semi-structured interviews to promote an in-depth understanding about FXS and its impact on child and family occupations in addition to standardized assessment scores through in-depth case study analysis. This study used a mixed method research design examining four male participants who were given sertraline in an in-depth case study analysis. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol at baseline and at six months post-treatment to discuss their child, occupations, and any potential impacts of sertraline. Baseline and post-testing standardized assessment results were compared to the occupation centered semi-structured interviews. The data was collected from a pre-existing database in a previous study determining the outcome measures of sertraline. Dedoose software was used to code for categories and themes found in the FXS family interviews. Results indicated that standardized assessments have limited sensitivity to fully capture the lived experiences of families with FXS. Standardized assessments test for performance skills that may not necessarily translate to daily occupations as reported by families. While future practitioners should use standardized assessments in their evaluations, they should also include what families report in their daily lives to fully conclude the child’s abilities to participate and engage in their daily occupations

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  Gender Stereotypes and Relationship Equity and Satisfaction

  Justin Newsome

  • Gender stereotypes divide men and women along biological, emotional, and cognitive lines. This social construct can be summed up by the phrase “men are from Mars, women are from Venus.”
  • The sex of a person is the biological category of male or female and gender is the social aspect of being male or female (Robinson et al., 2001).
  • Social constructs thatpromote gender stereotypes can have an impact on the suppression of biological responses (Brody, 1997). This thinking influences behaviorin men and women that is self-fulfilling to gender stereotypes (Baez et al., 2017).
  • This may have an effect on how men and women perceive the equity and satisfaction within romantic relationships

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  Effects of Self-Efficacy and Stigmatization when Managing Patients with Addiction and Substance Use Disorders

  Catherine Spaccia

  People who suffer with addiction are more likely to be treated as outsiders, which result in social disadvantages and maltreatment in a medical setting. This is because substance abuse can be perceived as deviating from social norms (Henderson & Dressler, 2017).

  Higher post-secondary education on addiction could reduce stigmatization and improve self-efficacy for better healthcare outcomes. Previous research has revealed that appropriate training is important when forming nonjudgmental attitudes towards drug users (Baldwin et al., 2006).

  The purpose of this study is to address the gap between post-secondary education, reducing stigmatization and improving self-efficacy among healthcare professionals

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  Transition in Occupations of Refugees During Resettlement

  Jennifer H. Daine, Adam A. Chan, Jacqueline-Elizabeth Cantrell, and Kimberley Keagan Banuelos

  Purpose: In 2016, there were 22.5 million refugees worldwide (UNHCR, 2017). California resettled just over 5,000 of those 85,000 (Igielnik & Krogstad, 2017). Limited research has been conducted in the United States (U.S.) focusing on the refugee experience; furthermore, there is a significant gap in research regarding the impact of the refugee experience on the occupations of refugees as they transition to living in the U.S. Smith (2012) explored the adaptation of cultural weaving among Karen refugees to maintain their previous occupations and the impact of daily weaving on their lives within Western culture; however, the study focused only on work occupations. This study sought to capture the experience of refugees and the impact of their transition on a broad array of occupations. Adding to occupational science literature regarding the occupational impact of the refugee experience, as well as aiding in addressing issues of occupational justice (Townsend, & Wilcock, 2004).

  Methods: This research was a qualitative-descriptive, phenomenological study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Questions were guided by Person-Environment-Occupation model (Law, et al., 1996) and Transitions Theory (Blair, 2000), to address personal and cultural values, environments where occupations are performed, and occupational patterns to identify changes in meaningful occupations due to the refugee process. Participants have legal status as refugees, have been in the U.S. between one and five years, resettled in Northern California, are at least 18 years old and were not required to speak English. As this study aimed to capture a broad experience of transition and limit confounding factors influencing how the participant responded to changes in occupations, participants could be of any ethnicity, country of origin, or gender. Two participants were recruited through snowball sampling. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed. Interviews were coded using Thematic Analysis to generate common themes across cases (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Rigor was strengthened through member checks and peer review.

  Findings: Through analysis of the interviews, the researchers found five major themes: contextual barriers, internal factors, adaptation, belonging, and transition. The first four themes form a loop and influence each other both positively and negatively and, ultimately, affect engagement in occupations. Transition is the theme that envelops and influences the whole. Using these five themes, the researchers developed the Transition-related Effects on Refugee Occupations (TERO) Model. Key findings include that refugees may experience more meaning and role change/loss in their occupations, rather than adoption of new occupations. Additionally, the researchers found social network to be important for positive occupational engagement throughout country transition.

  Implications: As occupational therapists, the tendency towards working with refugee populations may be to focus on their transitions to new occupations. However, data from this study indicates that it may be more pertinent to address role and meaning change/loss in current occupations.

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  The Impact of Fall Efficacy on Occupational Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

  Michelle Fong, Araya Moua, Erin DeNola, and Merit Franklin

  Falls are a major health concern in the older adult (OA) population. While there is research on falls and their prevention, research on how low fall efficacy (FE) impacts the occupational engagement of the OA population is limited. FE is defined as the confidence a person has in his/her ability to complete a task without falling (Tinetti & Powell, 1993). A qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of OAs with low FE and the impact on occupational performance. Participants who scored ≤ 6 on the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) engaged in a semi-structured interview, that explored the relationship between low FE and participation in occupations. Researchers asked open-ended questions to explore the activities impacted by participants low FE. A constant comparison method was utilized to analyze the interviews. The findings suggested that participants discontinued certain occupations due to a poor fit between the environment and the occupational challenges. However, those who experienced a good fit between the environment and the occupational challenges continued to participate in the activity using environmental modifications when needed. The occupations that had the lowest average scores on the MFES were occupations that mandated a narrow base of support (BOS) and the shifting of one’s weight. Therefore, occupational performance was impacted by the demands of the activity, the functional ability of the person, and environmental modifications.

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  Autism and Occupation: Video Modeling for Maker Activities

  Hannah Gibeson, Kelly Yerby, Molly Smith, and Brittany Yung

  Understanding the lived experiences of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using video modeling (VM) while engaging in Maker activities is an essential part of occupational therapy research. Participants in this study were four individuals with ASD recruited from a project-based studio located in San Rafael, CA, and one staff member. The qualitative portion of this study analyzed the lived experiences and perspectives of the individuals with ASD and their service provider through qualitative semi-structured interview methods. The quantitative portion of this study analyzed the effectiveness of VM for Maker activities during the activity of making a box using a machine called a ShopBot^Ⓡ. Quantitative analysis included staff assistance and client performance during standard instruction and subsequent VM intervention. Researchers found that with the VM intervention, staff assistance decreased and client performance increased. Three themes pertinent to use of the VM for the ASD population emerged; what worked, what could be changed, and where else VM could be used. VM helps individuals with ASD learn Maker activities. VM is clear, consistent, and easy to understand for individuals with ASD. Occupational Therapists can utilize VM as another method to teach individuals with ASD new skills, Maker activities, and occupations.

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  Assistive Technology and the Impact of Occupations

  Chelsea Golding, Chantelle Bond, Vhernna Fernandez, and Eizelle Barrientos

  Objective: The purpose of this research was to empirically examine the occupational impact of assistive technology - AT (with a specific focus on word prediction, text to speech and speech recognition) from the perspectives of the end user, family and school personnel (e.g. teachers, therapists & specialists) across various contexts (e.g. home, school, community).

  Method: Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews, audio and video recordings, and records reviews. The data was coded and analyzed using a constant comparison method to identify themes pertaining to the occupational use of AT and thusly the impact to overall occupational performance.

  Findings: Six themes were identified: people, match, features, context, facilitators and barriers. Each theme was central to the implementation of AT and occupational performance. We additionally found that there was a lack of occupational therapy (OT) involvement in the interdisciplinary AT team.

  Discussion: AT has a positive impact on occupational performance and quality of life for the end user and family across contexts. Facilitators and barriers to AT were present within each prominent theme. We have proposed a theoretical model encapsulating how AT supports occupational performance. We further assert that there is a role for OT as an active member on the interdisciplinary AT team when considering the occupational impact of AT.

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  Measuring the Outcomes of Therapeutic Listening® in Children With Learning and Developmental Disabilities

  Donielle Hair, Phoebe Taasan, Hannah Tashjian, and Julia L. Wilbarger

  A practice-based evidence (PBE) approach was used to explore the outcomes of the Therapeutic Listening® technique. PBE examines how effective clinical practice is within the actual clinical context. PBE capitalizes on using customary procedures and measures to establish clinical outcomes. (Horn & Gassaway, 2010; Swisher, 2010).

  Therapeutic Listening® (TL®) is a sound-based intervention broadly used by pediatric OTs as a complement to sensory integration interventions for children with sensory processing disorders.

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  Occupational Responses of Older Adults Following Partner Loss

  Carol Huang, Jane Song, Peter Behr, and Stephanie Sterner

  Spousal loss has been frequently identified as a life stressor that can greatly impede one’s ability to age at home. The purpose of this study is to identify the occupational changes that commonly result after this event and their impacts on one’s ability to age in place. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. Eight participants were recruited from an educational program for older adults and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Researchers transcribed and coded all interviews to determine emergent themes. Two major categories of themes were found: occupational and intrinsic responses. The areas of occupation that were most commonly identified include: social participation, caregiving, activities of daily living, financial and household management, meal preparation, and leisure. Intrinsic responses were identified as autonomy, intrapersonal transition, and filling in time. Occupational and intrinsic responses occur transactionally and influence each other. Older adults may need to effectively address changes to both of these categories to facilitate successful aging in place after partner loss.

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  Quality of Life and the Prevalence of Depression in Cohabitants and Marrieds

  Stacey Kayondo

  Cohabitation has become part of romantic relationships in the United States; cohabitation has become a normal experience for both men and women. With the rapid increase in cohabitation this raises important concerns about its consequences for the institution of marriage and the lives of individuals involved in this family form, as research indicates that cohabiters hold lower levels of commitment, and cohabiters are more likely to be depressed than marrieds( Brown, S.L 2003). Some studies have been done to find out whether marriages are beneficial to one’s mental health, Pro marriage initiatives and policies like tax breaks for married people have taken a part in this (Perelli-Harris 2017). Although the prevalence and patterns of cohabitation have generally been well documented, we know very little about the outcomes of cohabitation and marriage. This is especially true for middle age adults; despite the increasing significance of cohabitation at younger ages, the cohabitation literature continues to focus on older adults who tend to settle or move in with a partner after a divorce from a previous marriage. The experiences of cohabitation and marriage are not the same at all ages. Some people may view marriage as a union of comfort, something that’s more solid than cohabitation though the meaning and significance of both these relationship is different for each individual (Haas, S. M., & Whitton, S. W. 2015). Cohabitation has become a big part of an everyday American life (Pollard and Harris 2013). There has been an increase in the number of cohabiting households.

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  Have a Safe Trip: Ecstasy Exposure, Perceived Risk, and Harm-Reduction Practices Among College Students

  Nicole Alexis Ladines

  Ecstasy – also known as 3, 4-Methylene dioxymetham-phetamine, or MDMA - has become one of the most notorious “club” drugs (Havere et al., 2011). SAMHSA (2015) reported that 6.8% of the U.S. population over the age of 12 had reported lifetime use of ecstasy. It has become popular as a social activity due to its subjective effects, such as feelings of connectedness, empathy, and heightened sensuality and sexuality (Leslie et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2010). Because of this, ecstasy use is prevalent among musical events such as nightclubs, festivals, and raves (Leslie et al., 2015). Prior studies on ecstasy users’ attitudes of perceived risk show that while some may understand that there are health risks involved, others believe that there is no harm at all in using ecstasy (Martins et al., 2011). The Harm Reduction Drugs Education (HDRE) approach argues that because the illicit usage of drugs cannot necessarily be stopped, the next step in safety would be to reduce or minimize any harm that can occur from using substances through harm-reduction practices (Akram & Galt, 1999). I hypothesize that higher ecstasy exposure will predict a higher sense of risk, which in turn will be a predictor of utilization of harm-reduction practices among ecstasy users.

  The sample consisted of over 100 college students located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling through social media and by classroom invitation. They were given a survey consisting of their Index of Habit Strength, an Ecstasy Use History Questionnaire (Davis, 2016) as well as three questions on Perceived Risk (Martins et al., 2011). The predicted results are that those who attend musical events are more exposed to ecstasy and that those with more exposure associate risk with usage. Results are also expected to demonstrate that one’s perception of risk will indicate engagement in harm-reduction practices, such as drinking water/electrolyte – rich fluids, preloading/postloading, and pill-checking (Davis, 2016). This research will advocate for implementation of harm-reduction practices as well as furthering knowledge on safety in recreational drug use.

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  The Relation of Seasonal Patterns to Mood Changes and Gender Differences in College-aged Students

  mariah meza

  This study examined college students’ moods during different seasons patterns throughout the year. Previous research has indicated that many individuals feel more lethargic, lonely and moody during the winter months (Rohan & Sigmon, 2000). These mood and behavior patterns clearly depend on specific seasons of the year. However, many studies have produced inconsistent findings and current data on how weather impacts college aged students moods in California (Lucht & Kasper, 1999). There are many inconsistent studies in the United States that indicate whether there is a higher fluctuation in women’s moods during seasonal change than there is with men(Chotai, Smedh, Johansson, Nilsson, Adolfsson, 2003). The current study investigated gender differences in college students and how weather impacts their overall mood in Northern California. It was hypothesized that women have a higher Global Seasonality Score (GSS) than men. It was also hypothesized that college -aged women experience more seasonal fluctuations in mood, socialization, sleep, eating patterns, and weight gain than men do. The current study involved 60 college students from a northern California university. The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ; Rosenthal, 1984), a 7-item survey that measures of winter pattern seasonality of mood in the general population along with demographic and weather related questions were used to assess the effects of weather on mood and behavioral patterns. Results are expected to conclude that there is a statistically significant difference in GSS between men and women. Analyses are also expected to indicate that women’s mood, socialization, sleep, eating patterns, and weight fluctuation more than men’s. It can be concluded that there are gender differences in mood fluctuations that result from seasonal change.Furthermore, the analysis reveals a better understanding of how women and men adapt to seasonal change and provide support for further research within this topic. In regards of the results, the research is critical in understanding the correlation on why women’s overall mood fluctuates during different seasons of the year.

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  Exploratory Application of a Sensory Activity Schedule in Head Start Preschool

  Marian Perez, Elaine Wong, and Michelle Perryman

  Objective: The objective of this research is to determine whether the implementation of sensory activity schedule in a preschool classroom can increase the on-task behaviors of the students.

  Methods: Three students were recruited to participate in a quantitative multiple single subject design with qualitative follow-up study. The participants performed sensorimotor activities before circle time and were monitored for frequency of their off-task behavior using a time sampling frequency data collection. Afterwards, the head teacher was interviewed to discuss the experience.

  Results: Off-task behavior decreased from baseline on all three children, which supports the efficacy of sensory activity schedule in reducing off-task behavior. Cultural disconnect, classroom dynamics, and scheduling conflict were identified as barriers to successful implementation of sensory activity schedule.

  Conclusion: Occupational therapists are encouraged to conduct a needs assessment before starting a research to identify potential barriers. More research is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of sensory activity schedule in a classroom.

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  Coffee Consumption, Perceptions, and Patterns

  Shannon Rodriguez

  Coffee is a substance people consume daily, but there are inconclusive and conflicting results from studies about the positive and negative effects of coffee and caffeine. For example, evidence from one study links lower levels of stress with coffee consumption while another study concluded drinking coffee results in sleep disruption. Given this information, there are numerous factors that contribute to why people drink coffee and the effects it has on each individual. The purpose of this study is to see if there are patterns between demographics, coffee consumption, and perceptions to understand how students, staff, and faculty at Dominican University of California perceive coffee and any factors that could contribute to their views.

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  A Sensory-Based Program to Enhance Occupational Performance for Dementia

  Naomi Grace Wong, Jacob Joseph Gantan, Ivy Annahi Torres-Flores, and Heather Anne August

  Dementia is a neurological disease, causing behavioral and cognitive symptoms, that progressively impairs an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Progressive deterioration associated with dementia impacts occupational performance and independence and quality of life. Sensory based interventions, such as drumming groups, have been hypothesized to be a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a sensory based intervention program, in this case participation in a drumming group, on functional engagement during self-feeding for individuals with dementia. Researchers gathered data over the course of two days using the Functional Behavior Profile, Self-Feeding Questionnaire, Visual Analog Scale, and the Agitated Behavior Scale as outcome measures. The first day was a baseline day, during which participants did not participate in the drumming group. Researchers completed observational questionnaires measuring the participant’s agitation and mood prior to lunch, and during lunch. On the second day, the participants engaged in the drumming group. Agitation, mood, and function was observed before and after the drumming group, and during lunch. Mood was elevated and increased engagement was observed during the drumming group. The effect of the drumming group did not carry over into self-feeding. There was a 20 minute wait period in between the drumming group and lunch time, which may have affected the results. Recommendations for future research include the evaluation of arousal and engagement during the drumming group and its effect on occupational performance.

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  Fragile X Syndrome and Family Occupations: Sertraline Treatment

  Tracy Ye, Decerie Mendoza, Elena A. Javier, and Martina C. Dualan

  Current research on children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) lacks inclusion of qualitative outcomes on the child’s daily occupational performance. Standardized measurements are frequently utilized and provide useful information, however, can be less sensitive to change (Berry Kravis et al., 2013) and miss capturing family perspectives and improvements within meaningful occupations. This research incorporates family perspectives via semi-structured interviews to promote an in-depth understanding about FXS and its impact on child and family occupations in addition to standardized assessment scores through in-depth case study analysis. This study used a mixed method research design examining four male participants who were given sertraline in an in-depth case study analysis. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol at baseline and at six months post-treatment to discuss their child, occupations, and any potential impacts of sertraline. Baseline and post-testing standardized assessment results were compared to the occupation centered semi-structured interviews. The data was collected from a pre-existing database in a previous study determining the outcome measures of sertraline. Dedoose software was used to code for categories and themes found in the FXS family interviews. Results indicated that standardized assessments have limited sensitivity to fully capture the lived experiences of families with FXS. Standardized assessments test for performance skills that may not necessarily translate to daily occupations as reported by families. While future practitioners should use standardized assessments in their evaluations, they should also include what families report in their daily lives to fully conclude the child’s abilities to participate and engage in their daily occupations

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  Fragile X Syndrome: An Examination of Family Occupations (Preliminary Findings)

  Samantha L. Alexander, Noelani M. Brisbane, Rebecca M. Schira, and Kaitlyn M. Williams

  Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited Intellectual Developmental Disorder and a genetic model for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Those living with FXS face emotional, social, intellectual, and physical challenges that impact engagement in occupations, yet to date, there has been limited qualitative research examining family occupations in FXS. In this research, twelve interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for common themes anchored in the Person, Environment, Occupation (PEO) model. Results indicated that while children with FXS exhibit strengths, there are certain occupations that families find difficult to engage in. A new model was created for consideration of family occupations and FXS. This model depicts family occupations as a complex and ever changing, dynamic interaction between the child and family engaging in varying environments, and activities. This model can further inform clinical reasoning when designing a comprehensive child and family-centered approach supporting participation in occupations.

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  Factors & Risks Associated with Adolescents Late Entry into Prenatal Care

  Shannon Almonia, Kimberly Damian, Giuliana Enea, Solveig Karlsen, and Jessica Markham

  Prenatal care is a type of preventative health care for pregnant women that is typically initiated in the first trimester. However, when prenatal care is inadequate, initiated past the first trimester or missed, the mother and fetus experience an increased risk for preterm delivery. Adolescents are apart of a specific subgroup of pregnant women that are at a higher risk for adverse outcomes during pregnancy due to knowledge deficits. Therefore, adolescents are especially likely to receive inadequate prenatal services. Numerous studies have been conducted to discover the result of inadequate prenatal care; however, not as many studies explore the factors associated with late entry or lack of entry into prenatal care for adolescents. These factors need to be identified so care providers can accurately identify pregnant adolescents who are at the greatest risk for receiving inadequate care so that they can attempt to prevent preterm births.

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  Parental Cultural Conflict and Children's Cultural Identity Development

  Amanda Araki

  Parent culturally incompatibility was evaluated for its possible negative impact on a bicultural offspring’s cultural identity development. The 43 self-identified bicultural participants, aged from 18 to 67 years, provided family cultural histories, and completed the Parental Cultural Conflict Scale (PCCS) and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). The hypothesized relationship between high PCCS levels and low MEIM levels was not supported by the data; however, the range of responses on the PCCS was very limited with a complete absence of any very low or very high conflict scores. It was concluded that parents’ cultural incompatibility does not have the level of negative impact on their offspring’s cultural identity development as originally anticipated, but due to the limited range of PCCS values, the hypothesis cannot be completely rejected. Results also demonstrated that there was also no significant difference found in the mean MEIM scores for the bicultural study sample and published norms for various monocultural groups, suggesting that bicultural children may find their path to self-identification that is neither enhanced nor impaired by having two parents of different cultures.

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  Effects of Childhood Experiences on Adult Desire to Parent

  Sarah Bailey

  Many believe the primary role in life is to settle down and have children. The present study focuses on understanding what can influence a person’s choice to have children. With a wide variety of childhood experiences that exist, as well as the influences of an optimism/pessimism attitude about life, this study will focus on how these characteristics can combine to influence one’s decision to have children.

  According to McDonnell (2012), many of those who experienced an unstable or undesirable childhood grow up wanting no children as a way to not repeat the cycle. Meanwhile, some who experienced adversity in childhood seek parenthood as a way to do the opposite of what they experienced, and effort to provide better for their children. What differentiates these responses may have to do with general attitude about the world.

  Individuals vary on their optimism-pessimism level. Evidence has been found that show optimism and pessimism to exist on a singular, bi-polar spectrum (Marshall, Wortman, Kusulas, Hervig, & Vickers, 1992); high optimism equates to a low level of pessimism and vice versa.

  Studies have also shown that childhood adversities can play a large role when it comes to adulthood dispositional optimism (Korkeila et al, 2004). It is clear, then that childhood experiences, optimism-pessimism, and desire to have children are all somehow interconnected; these relationships suggests the following hypotheses: 1) Adults who had little or no adversity in childhood will desire to have children, independent of their levels of optimism/pessimism; and 2) Adults who did experience childhood adversity only will desire to have children if they are also high in levels of general optimism.

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  Occupations as an Outcome Measure in a Clinical Trial: Fragile X Syndrome and Sertraline

  Michelle Beckwith, Brina Nguyen, Jennifer Sik, Kenneth Yu, and Laura Greiss Hess

  Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual and developmental disability, and a known genetic cause of autism. Individuals with FXS present with deficits in cognition, social skills, behavior, language and sensory processing skills; all of which are commonly assessed through standardized and norm-referenced assessments. However, these outcome measures are sometimes not sensitive to contextually based changes in daily life. Further, there is limited research employing qualitative methods in the FXS literature. The purpose of this research was to examine family perspectives collected via semi-structured interviews as part of a randomized controlled medication trial of sertraline (Zoloft®) on children two to six years old diagnosed with FXS. The constant comparison method was used to analyze differences in family expressions of their child’s improvements over the course of the 6-month clinical trial. Twelve interviews were analyzed, six-treatment, six-placebo, and all coding was done blind to group assignment. Results indicated greater improvements in the treatment group when compared to the placebo group in: anxiety, receptive / expressive communication, maladaptive behaviors and some sensory issues. These preliminary findings warrant a need for further research with a larger sample.

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  Validation of the Medication Box Task Assessment

  Katherine Blank, Alison Chandler, Malcolm Isely, Serena Soria, and Yamin Zaw

  Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may experience challenges in their everyday occupational performance due to cognitive impairments. Cognitive tabletop and occupation-based assessments are used to evaluate cognition in individuals with ABI. There is a need for cognitive occupation-based assessments as they possess ecological validity: a reflection of an individual’s occupational performance in daily life. This study aimed to validate the Medication Box Task assessment in its use as a cognitive occupation-based assessment. The results of the Medication Box Task assessment were compared against the results of a battery of five gold standard tabletop assessments. Pearson correlations showed significant correlations between type II errors of the Tower of London and the extra and missing pills of the Medication Box Task assessment. No other significant correlations were found between scores of the Medication Box Task assessment and the battery of cognitive tabletop assessments. More importantly, it was discovered that six out of seven participants, who indicated that they managed their own medication, made errors on the Medication Box Task assessment. Based on the results, no conclusion can be made about the Medication Box Task assessment as a valid cognitive occupation-based assessment.

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  Stem Cell Derived Osteoprogenitors and Their Role in Bone Repair Using Morphogenic Activators

  George Washington Brownridge III, Sylvanna Islas, Angelina Miller, and Warren Hoeffler

  Bone constantly cycles through a dynamic process of breakdown and remodeling. Osteoblasts are the specialized mesenchymal stem cells that have a major role in bone formation and the remodeling process whereas their counterpart osteoclasts, handle bone resorption. Embryonic stem cells can be partially differentiated into Progenitor cells, and we worked with #18, a candidate for being an osteoprogenitor that has the potential to respond to morphogenic activators. In the case of bone remodeling, TGF-β 2, BMP-2 and an abundance of CA++ have been shown to be potential activators of differentiation into osteoblasts. Eight different trials were conducted with the cells using different combinations of the three morphogenic activators. After inducing the cells with the activators, we performed Immunohistochemistry (IHC) to analyze the expression of osteocalcin, which is the enzyme that binds calcium to mineralize bone. The cells with varying activator combinations showed different physiology with a variance in the cell shape, structure, and spacing. The greatest results were from the combination of TGF-β 2 and BMP-2, which is consistent with #18 operating as an osteoprogenitor. A 3D construct model of #18 seemed to have a similar structure to that of an osteon, possibly indicating the formation of bone. We took slices of the model and performed an IHC staining for Osteocalcin, Prolyl Hydroxylase (5B5), and Collagen I. We saw a strong positive signal for Col I and 5B5, and a slight positive signal for Osteocalcin. This information confirmed that #18 is an osteoprogenitor and is able to assemble bone.