https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/issue/feed Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 2025-09-02T11:09:11+02:00 Vladimir Trajkovski editorjhrs@almamater.si Open Journal Systems <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (JHRS) is a multidisciplinary, scholarly, peer reviewed, international, electronic journal edited by the Alma Mater Europaea University - ECM from Slovenia. The following articles will be considered for publication: original and review articles, short report, letters to the editor, clinical experiences, survey of cases, doctoral dissertations, master of arts, editorials, rapid communications and other contributions from all the fields of health sciences, rehabilitation sciences, special education, psychology, education, social policy, and the related sciences. The aim of the journal is to share and disseminate knowledge between all disciplines that work in the field of developmental disabilities. All articles will be critically reviewed by at least two unknown reviewers within 2 months.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Editor-in-chief: Prof. Dr. Vladimir Trajkovski - </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Philosophy, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", Skopje, Macedonia</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Publisher: Prof. Dr. Ludvik Toplak – Alma Mater Europaea University – ECM, Maribor, Slovenia</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Editorial Board:</span></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Manuel Casanova, USA</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">John Wells, Ireland</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jane McCarthy, UK</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monica Reichenberg, Sweden</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthias Grunke, Germany</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Robert Orlikoff, USA</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kneginja Richter, Germany</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ingrida Baranaskienne, Lithuania</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dobrinka Georgieva, Bulgaria</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joanna Kossewska, Poland</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yasir Syed, UK</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Branislav Brojchin, Serbia</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ljubinka Damjanovska, Macedonia</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Haris Memishevic, Bosnia and Herzegovina</span></li> </ol> https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/article/view/165 Development and validation of Thought, Language, and Communication Assessment Scale for Persons with Aphasia 2025-09-02T11:09:11+02:00 Sampath Muthu Lakshmipriya lakshmipriya17.slp@gmail.com Nagaraj Hema hema@aiishmysore.in <p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Aphasia impacts language and thought organization, disrupting effective communication. Thought, Language, and Communication (TLC) are interrelated, and breakdowns in one domain often affect the others. A comprehensive assessment tool is essential to understand and address these interlinks. This study aimed to develop and validate the Thought, Language, and Communication Assessment Scale for Persons with Aphasia (TLCAS-PWA) for Persons with Aphasia (PWA) and Neurotypical Individuals (NTI).</p> <p><strong>Method: </strong>The tool was developed through literature review and expert validation, comprising 14 parameters across communication, language, and thought domains, rated on a 5-point scale. It was administered to 20 PWA and 20 NTI.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>Among PWA, PCS showed the highest mean scores, while Self-reference was least frequent. At the domain level, both PWA and NTI had higher scores in Communication Disorder and lower in Language Disorder. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significant differences between groups across all the domains. Psychometric analysis showed good internal consistency (α = 0.88), excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.98), and stable test–retest reliability.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TLCAS-PWA is a valid tool that aids clinicians in assessing TLC in aphasia, supporting diagnosis, intervention, and progress monitoring.</p> 2025-10-07T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Sampath Muthu Lakshmipriya, Nagaraj Hema https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/article/view/154 Family Quality of Life from the Perspective of Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities 2025-08-03T21:30:52+02:00 Dajana Bulić dajanabulic@hotmail.com Tomislav Ljutic tomislavljutic@net.hr Renata Pinjatela renata.pinjatela@erf.unizg.hr <p>Aim: The quality of life of families with children with intellectual disabilities has been frequently analysed in recent research. There are numerous factors that influence the quality of life of families. The aim of the study was to determine the quality of life of families of children with intellectual disabilities who are cared for by the Sloboština Rehabilitation Centre.</p> <p>Methods: The study used the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale questionnaire, which was completed online by the parents. 51 parents of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities took part in the study.</p> <p>Results: The results of the study show that the overall quality of life is satisfactory. However, parents of children with intellectual disabilities are least satisfied with emotional well-being and disability-related support. They are not satisfied with the time they have to pursue their interests or with outside help for all family members. They also consider the support a child with disabilities receives at school to be mediocre. No statistically significant differences in quality of life were found in relation to the age and gender of parents and children, except for the family interaction subscale, where families with girls had a better quality of life.</p> <p>Conclusion: The results of the study show that although the overall quality of life is satisfactory, families of children with intellectual disabilities need external support that provides them with some free time but also aims to support all family members.</p> 2025-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Dajana Bulić, Tomislav Ljutic, Renata Pinjatela https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/article/view/153 Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes Through Sensory Modulation Profiles in Adults with Atypical Sensory Processing: A Cross-Sectional Study 2025-08-01T21:19:13+02:00 Patricija Goubar patricija.goubar@almamater.si Tomaž Velnar tvelnar@hotmail.com <p><strong>Background: </strong>Sensory integration dysfunction (SID) often involves sensory modulation difficulties that can significantly impair daily functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults. Despite its prevalence, the relationship between sensory modulation profiles and HRQoL in adults with SID remains underexplored. Understanding this link is essential for developing targeted interventions to address diverse symptom profiles.</p> <p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study examined the association between sensory modulation difficulties and multiple HRQoL dimensions in adults with SID.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional quantitative study included 86 adults aged 23–54 years, divided into two groups: adults with SID and healthy controls. Sensory modulation was assessed using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile Questionnaire, and HRQoL was measured with the SF-36 instrument. Statistical analyses included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson’s correlation. The null hypothesis tested for no differences in HRQoL scores between groups.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant differences were found between groups across all eight SF-36 domains and the overall HRQoL score (p &lt; 0.001), with controls consistently scoring higher in each domain. Correlation analyses showed no significant associations between HRQoL outcomes and demographic variables (age, gender).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings confirm a strong association between SID and reduced HRQoL in adults, affecting both physical and mental health. The consistent impact across age and gender groups highlights the importance of personalized therapeutic approaches.</p> 2025-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Patricija Goubar, Tomaž Velnar https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/article/view/149 Clinical Application of the Bulgarian Version of the SCCAN: Pilot Data From Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Ischemic Stroke 2025-07-13T15:47:42+02:00 Kostadin Chompalov kostadin.chompalov@mu-plovdiv.bg Penka Atanassova pepiatanasova123@gmail.com Dobrinka Georgieva doby_logo@abv.bgo <p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p><strong>Aim:</strong> This study evaluated the clinical utility of the Scales of Cognitive and Communicative Ability for Neurorehabilitation (SCCAN) upon assessing Bulgarian in-patients who present with either ischemic stroke or Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim was to determine whether this tool could detect cognitive-communicative problems that may be missed by customary screening tools.</p> <p><strong>Methods</strong><strong>:</strong> We conducted two independent pilot studies: one with 14 AD patients, and a second with 19 stroke patients and 31 healthy controls. All participants completed the Bulgarian SCCAN, which assesses eight domains including <em>oral expression, orientation, memory, auditory and reading comprehension, writing, attention,</em> and <em>problem-solving</em>. Stroke and control participants also underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Descriptive statistics were used so group performance and correlations could be examined. Tests that are non-parametric were also used.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> SCCAN revealed domain-specific deficits in clinical cohorts. In the AD group, <em>memory </em>and<em> orientation</em> were the most impaired domains. Stroke patients, on the other hand, showed significant impairments, particularly in <em>memory, oral expression</em>, and <em>auditory comprehension</em>, while <em>orientation</em> and <em>attention</em> were relatively preserved. Overall, stroke patients performed significantly better on the SCCAN than the AD group. These findings reveal distinct cognitive–communicative profiles in AD versus stroke populations.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> SCCAN's Bulgarian version identified cognitive-communicative deficits with clinical sensitivity in patients with AD as well as with those with ischemic stroke. The tool may guide individualized neurorehabilitation and complement standard screening methods. Additional verification is advised.</p> 2025-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Kostadin Chompalov, Penka Atanassova, Dobrinka Georgieva https://jhrs.almamater.si/jhrs/article/view/143 Residential care staff working knowledge of reporting restrictive practices within Intellectual Disability and Older Persons care settings: A scoping review. 2025-07-23T16:57:15+02:00 Veronica Mukwashi 20101485@mail.wit.ie Brian Sharvin Brian.Sharvin@setu.ie Ruth Maher Ruth.Maher@Setu.ie Michelle Davitt Michelle.Davitt1@hse.ie Louise Bennett Louise.Bennett@Setu.ie <p><strong>Introduction:</strong> This Restrictive practice is an intentional restriction of an individual’s voluntary movement or behaviour. Given the impingement of human rights associated with restrictive practice, many jurisdictions all over the world have advocated for a reduction in their use, highlighting the importance of reporting restrictive practice. However, a paucity of literature exists examining the knowledge of residential care staff regarding reporting restrictive practice.</p> <p><strong>Aim</strong>: To examine the knowledge of residential care staff regarding the reporting of restrictive practices in intellectual disability and older persons care settings.</p> <p><strong>Methods</strong>: A scoping review referenced to JBI and PRISMA guidelines was used. The studies were retrieved from a library multi-search function of various databases. Sixteen studies were included in the final analysis.</p> <p><strong>Findings:</strong> Findings demonstrate that residential staff lack knowledge of what defines a restrictive practice and find the reporting system as unnecessary, time consuming and burdensome. The identified barriers to reporting restrictive practice included: fear, lack of clear guidelines and awareness of the reporting system, lack of time, and staff shortages. While the facilitators included awareness campaigns, availability of appropriate reporting structures, and managerial support.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: This review suggests that improvements in terms of residential staff understanding of and reporting of restrictive practice is required. Moreover, this review has the potential to assist policymakers to understand the individual, organisational and regulatory barriers and facilitators to reporting restrictive practice within intellectual disability and older persons care settings.</p> 2025-08-03T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Veronica Mukwashi, Brian Sharvin, Ruth Maher, Michelle Davitt, Louise Bennett