Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Rehabilitation nurses’ knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of the provision of psychological care to stroke patients: Systematic Review

Gillian Merrigan — 2023-06-08

Introduction: Depression and/or anxiety is associated with sub-optimal recovery and a reduction in quality of life for patients following a stroke. However, the literature suggests that the psychological needs for patients post stroke are insufficient with poor provision of psychological services.

Aim: To examine HCPs knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of the provision of psychological care to patients post stroke.

Methods: A systematic review referenced to PRISMA guidelines was used. The studies were retrieved from six databases (CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley Online library and Ovid SP). Twelve studies were included in the final analysis.

Results: Findings demonstrate that HCPs have a basic understanding of the psychological/emotional problems associated with stroke. Psychological care was identified as been given a low priority within stroke rehabilitation services and described as inconsistent, uncoordinated, and ad hoc. Barriers to providing psychological care included: poor access to specialist expertise; lack of resources and poor managerial support. Furthermore, the need for specialist supports via case discussion and reflective practice was identified.

Conclusions: This review suggests that improvements in terms of psychological care and services offered to patients post stroke is needed as is the value of support from managers to provide sufficient resources. This review has the potential to assist policymakers to understand the barriers and potential facilitators to psychological care provision to patients post stroke.

Review of Educators’ Needs for Additional Knowledge About Autism in Slovenia

Irena Marinič — 2023-05-28

Aim: The project VIS A VIS “Support for professionals in education and employment in the field of autism addresses deficits in systemic support for professionals educating and employing individuals with autism in Slovenia”. The research goal was to determine the professionals' experiences with persons with autism, their knowledge of autism, their assessment of the situation in the field of education for persons with autism, their self-assessment of skills for working with persons with autism and their training needs.

Methods: Five online questionnaires were created to gain information from the educators' perspective. Employees in preschool education, basic education, music education, secondary and adult education ant tertiary education participated in the survey.

Results: The data provides insight into the needs and challenges that respondents face in their daily practice with persons with autism. Professionals at different levels of education want to acquire additional skills and support to work more successfully with persons with autism.

Conclusion: The results form the basis for developing a model of assistance and support for educators in the field of autism. Participants in the survey will have the opportunity to attend free training based on the data collected.

Age of Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and associated factors

Irena Stojanovska — 2023-04-24

Introduction The mean age of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis varies globally and the factors affecting it are inconsistent across populations and studies.

Aim Quantitative research was undertaken to investigate the age ASD was diagnosed and some possibly related factors, in a sample from Macedonia.

Methods A web-based survey was conducted among 103 parents of 103 individuals with ASD, from December 2021 to May 2022. Socio-demographic characteristics of parents/families and demographic and medical characteristics of individuals with ASD were reported through an anonymous questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric inferential statistical tests were used to analyse data.

Results The median age of the ASD sample was 10 years and most individuals (47.57%) had moderately severe ASD. In 39.81% ASD was diagnosed by a psychiatrist/neuropsychiatrist, in 37.86% by several professionals, while paediatricians/developmental paediatricians were the source of diagnosis in only 2.91%. Over half of the individuals with ASD (51.46%) received the diagnosis before the age of 4, while around 17% received the diagnosis after the age of 6. The level of education of the parents, family living location, gender, current age and severity of ASD were not found to be associated with the age of diagnosis.

Conclusion Nearly 1/5 of the sample was diagnosed comparatively late ‒ at school age. However, characteristics pertaining to parents/families and to individuals with ASD, did not significantly affect the age of diagnosis. Possible influence of other, external factors (e.g., awareness and vigilance among professionals, availability of early screening programs) is acknowledged and will be included in further research.

Social skills critical for success in elementary school: teachers and special educators’ perspective

Slobodan Banković — 2023-05-04

Introduction Students with more advanced social skills are more likely to meet teacher expectations in terms of classroom behaviour and participation in the teaching and learning process. On the other hand, students with special educational needs (SEN) often have difficulties in developing these skills. Insight into social skills that teachers consider critical for the success of students in their classes enables better preparation of SEN students for inclusion in a mainstream environment. The purpose of this study is to determine which social skills are considered critical for classroom success by regular teachers who teach students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive classrooms and special educators in special schools.

Method The sample consists of 33 regular teachers and 57 special educators. The Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Teaching Form was used for data collection.

Results Both participant groups attributed the highest value to Cooperation skills, however skills related to Responsibility and Self-Control were also highly valued. Ratings of teachers and special educators differ significantly only for Empathy skills, with significantly lower values attributed by special educators. Significant differences between participants who teach in lower and upper elementary grades were found only for special educators, with a higher value for Assertion attributed by special educators in upper grades.

Conclusion Teachers and special educators place significant emphasis on social skills such as Cooperation, Responsibility, and Self-Control, which facilitate unhindered teaching and learning processes.

Personality traits and psychosocial adjustment in patients with limb amputation

Vana Grgurinović — 2023-05-02

Purpose: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial adjustment and personality traits since research regarding psychosocial adjustment and variables that influence adjustment in patients with limb amputation is relatively scarce.

Methods: There were 63 (81% male) participants in this study. The sample consisted of 51 men and 12 women between the ages of 27 and 86 (M = 56.63, SD = 13.35). The Next Big Five Inventory (BFI 2; Soto & John, 2017) was used to assess personality traits and The Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales – Revised (TAPES-R; Gallagher & MacLachlan, 2000) was used to measure psychosocial adjustment (general adjustment, social adjustment and adjustment to limitation).

Results: Extraversion was positively and negative emotionality negatively associated with general adjustment. No significant associations were found between social adjustment and personality traits. Extraversion, agreeableness and open-mindedness correlated positively with adjustment to limitation. Similar pattern of associations was found between personality facets and general adjustment and adjustment to limitation. The strongest associations were found with negative emotionality facet depression.

Conclusions: Results indicate that personality traits are associated with psychosocial adjustment in patients with limb amputation. Since this finding can be useful for adaptation to amputation, further research in larger samples is needed.