Surveys/Research

The Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists is committed to support occupational therapy research and will promote OSOT member participation in promoting research that support the development of knowledge about occupational therapy practice and/or occupational therapists.

To promote membership awareness of opportunities to participate in research activities relating to occupational therapy, the Society circulates a bi-monthly Supporting Occupational Therapy Research communique by email to all OSOT members (approximately 4,600 Ontario occupational therapists and student occupational therapists) which will include researchers’ project descriptions and any links to online surveys. In addition, the Society will post this information to OSOT's website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).  

For more details and to send in your research survey for publication, please see our order form.

The following posts have been purchased by the researchers to access OSOT membership. While posting does not imply OSOT partnership or sponsorship, we encourage members to participate!

Screening Cognition in Persons Living With Sensory Impairment: Current Practice
Principal & Co-investigators: Walter Wittich, PhD, Associate Professor, Université de Montréal and Shirley Dumassais, Master's candidate, Université de Montréal

Study Description: The purpose of this online survey is to explore the various adaptations and accommodations that Canadian healthcare practitioners report employing when performing cognitive screening tests to individuals with hearing impairment (HI), visual impairment (VI) or dual sensory impairment (DSI).

This study has three different objectives:
  1. Estimate the most reported adaptations that healthcare workers declare implementing in their routine cognitive test administration to individuals with sensory impairments. 
  2. Investigate whether the scarcity of empirical evidence and guidelines in the cognitive screening of individuals with DSI as reported in the literature is mirrored in current clinical practice. 
  3. Assess the interest of clinicians in learning about the challenges related to the importance of adequate cognitive screening test administration to individuals with sensory impairment(s) in an educational context.

Target audience for participation
Canadian practicing occupational therapists (OTs) and general practitioners (medical doctors/MDs). 
 
Survey Link - English

Survey Link - French

Response Deadline: March 2022
impACT of Developmental Coordination Disorder on Canadian Families 
Principal & Co-investigators: Jill G. Zwicker, PhD, OT and Chantal Camden, pht, PhD

Study Description: The goal of this research study is to adapt the “impact for DCD” survey created by Dr. Melissa Licari and her research team in Australia and implement it with parents of children with Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) across Canada. Results from the survey aim to improve national awareness and understanding of the physical, emotional and financial impact of DCD on the family and advocate for changes to provincial, territorial, and federal policy. Results will also help guide best-practice for occupational therapists when supporting children with DCD and their families. Questions in the survey provide detail on the child’s ability to participate in school, sports and other life activities, as well as the added challenges of long wait times for diagnosis and limited access to therapy. 

The aims of this study are as follows:
  1. To describe how parents navigate the healthcare, school, and community systems when managing the challenges arising from their child’s motor coordination difficulties.
  2. To identify and quantify which rehabilitative services and support assist families to manage the challenges stemming from their child’s motor coordination difficulties.
  3. To identify and describe potential barriers and facilitators families encounter when attempting to procure services for diagnostic and rehabilitative supports.
  4. To describe the potential for caregiver burden arising from parenting a child with motor coordination challenges.

Target audience for participation
Parents of children (aged 5-18) with suspected or confirmed diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder. The aim is for therapists to provide the survey link to families that meet the following inclusion criteria: 
  1. Primary residence of parent(s) and child(ren) is in Canada.
  2. Child(ren) must be under the age of 18 years with motor coordination challenges.
  3. These motor coordination challenges are not because of biological, genetic and/or developmental delays (e.g., cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, chromosomal abnormality, etc.).
  4. Child(ren) do not have to have a formal diagnosis of DCD, but are suspected of having the disorder.
  5. Child(ren) may have other co-occurring conditions that can include autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and/or speech language deficits.
  6. Parents can be biological, adoptive or guardian/caregiver.
  7. Parents need to be able to speak and read English or French.

Survey Link - English

Survey Link - French

Response Deadline: May 2022
Smart Clothing Visions 
Principal & Co-Investigators: Lee Jones (Primary Investigator), Karen Cochrane (Co-Investigator), Sarah Moore (Student Researcher), Dr. Audrey Girouard (Research Supervisor)

Study Description: The purpose of this study is to better understand how smart adaptive clothing and e-textiles can offer smart solutions to people with disabilities (PWD) to the challenges they face in independent living and health monitoring. PWD benefit when they are able to independently complete their activities of daily living and closely monitor their own health. The clothing that they wear can greatly contribute to independence and control of their environment. Smart clothing has the potential to help in two significant ways: 1) through increasing independence in dressing and 2) through improving PWD’s ability to monitor their own health.

In this study you will participate in an online workshop imagining the future of smart clothing for accessibility. This is a 2-hour online study. You will be asked to participate in a workshop using Zoom and an online whiteboard software (Miro). This study will be video recorded. 

To participate in this study you must: 
1. Be a registered occupational therapist.
2. Be comfortable using computers to access the internet.
3. Comfortable in the English language.

Link to participate.

Participants will be compensated with a $25 CAD Amazon Gift Card. Please contact the researcher, Sarah Moore, for more details on this study at sarahmoore3@cmail.carleton.ca.

Response Deadline: January 31, 2022
Occupational Therapy Innovation in Return to Work for Psychological Trauma 
Principal & Co-Investigators: Megan Edgelow, EdD, OT Reg. (Ont.), Queen’s University and Heidi Cramm, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.), Queen’s University 

Study Description: The aim of this research is to collect information about healthcare services, including Occupational Therapy services, that are provided to Public Safety Personnel in Ontario who are off work due to psychological trauma. The researchers want to capture the experiences of the Public Safety Personnel and the needs of these service recipients, as well as the experiences of Occupational Therapists providing these services.

Public Safety Personnel, sometimes referred to as first responders, may include firefighters, paramedics, police officers, border services officers, correctional officers, search and rescue personnel, dispatchers or communications officers, and operational intelligence personnel.

This study involves the completion of an online survey through a secure website. Completion of the survey is expected to take 15-30 minutes.

Target audience for participation: 
1. Ontario Public Safety Personnel receiving occupational therapy services. 
2. Ontario Occupational Therapists who provide services to Public Safety Personnel.

Survey link for Public Safety Personnel 

Survey link for Occupational Therapists 

For more information please contact Dr. Megan Edgelow.

Response Deadline: March 31, 2022
Improving Advance Care Planning for Frail Elderly Canadians: Exploring Occupational Therapists Experience With Diversity Access
Principal & Co-Investigators: Kevin Reel, MSc, OT Reg. (Ont.) (Co-PI), Dr. Gloria Gutman, PhD (Co-PI), Katrina Jang, BA (co-PI assistant), Elizabeth Pezzutto, BSci (co-PI assistant)

Study Description: As part of a research project being conducted by the University of Toronto Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Department and Simon Fraser Gerontology Research Centre, we are conducting interviews to learn about your thoughts on and experience of initiating/facilitating Advance Care Planning with older adults 55+ particularly LGBT+, Chinese, and/or South Asian older adult clients in your practice.

You can choose to have the interview conducted by telephone or over Zoom. As a thank you for participating you will receive a $25 gift card.

Target audience for participation: OTs whose practice include older adults 55+ particularly those who are Chinese, and/or South Asian, and/or LGBT+.

For more information or to participate please contact Elizabeth Pezzutto or call 416-951-7342.

Response Deadline: January 31, 2022