OBJECTIVE. Children with a specific learning disability (SLD) have deficits in social and academic competence and executive function (EF). In this study, we used the Model of Human Occupation to investigate the effect of peer-play activities on occupational values and competence as well as EF skills (i.e., behavior regulation and metacognition) in children with SLD. METHOD. Forty-nine children ages 7–11 yr with SLD were randomly assigned to the peer-play and control groups. Outcome measures were the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA). RESULTS. Data analysis showed that the effects of the intervention on EF skills were medium to large. The occupational values and competence did not change according to the COSA. CONCLUSION. Occupational therapy practitioners can use peer-play activities to enhance EF in children with SLD; however, perceived occupational values and competence may not show any changes with the peer-play intervention using a self-assessment instrument.

Objectives: To determine the reliability and cross-cultural validation of the Persian translation of the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: After the forward-backward translation procedures and investigation of face and content validity, inter-rater and test-retest reliability was assessed between parents and occupational therapists using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Parents and therapists classified 100 children (4–18 years, mean age of 8.13 years, SD=3.40, 63 boys, 37 girls) with various types of CP using MACS. Additional data on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), and accompanying conditions were also collected. Findings: The inter-rater reliability was high; the ICC was 0.96 (ranged between 0.94–0.97) among occupational therapists and parents. The ICC for the test-retest reliability was high; the ICC related to parents was 0.97 (ranged between 0.95–0.98) and the ICC related to occupational therapists was 0.97 (ranged between 0.96–0.98). Discussion: The Persian version of MACS is found to be valid and reliable, and is suggested to be appropriate for assessing the manual ability of children with CP within the Iranian population.

CO-OP intervention can be helpful in improving motor skills and achieving self-identified, motor-based goals in children with CP.

The concept of occupational balance needs to be further explored in different communities. Identifying similarities and differences in its meaning and application will inform culturally relevant client-centred education and practice.

Both objective and subjective experiences of occupational balance need to be considered in order to make an informed decision in practice. The right occupational balance for each individual should be based on his/her values but with consideration of the principal of no harm to others.

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BackgroundChronic insomnia is associated with consequential experience that may affect quality of life. Understanding such experience can be helpful in planning effective interventions for patients with chronic insomnia.ObjectiveThe study aimed to describe and illuminate the experience of living with chronic insomnia.MethodThe study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenology approach. Participants were selected purposefully from patients with chronic insomnia who had been referred to the sleep disorders research center at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2014. Data were gathered through in-depth unstructured interviews and analyzed according to the Colaizzi method by means of Husserlian phenomenology.ResultsTwo main themes were found in this study, from which five sub themes were constructed: first, an upset mind, with the subthemes of insomnia as an unpleasant experience and insomnia as a worrying experience; and second, an unwanted new lifestyle with treatment seeking behavior, a boring new daily routine and being overshadowed by depressed mood as the subthemes.ConclusionThe study identified the experience of living with chronic insomnia as a painful one with both mental and practical aspects. The experience also explains how mental engagement and practical outcomes of chronic insomnia may interfere with well-being and quality of life in sufferers. It is recommended that patients' experiences would be considered in assessment and treatment of chronic insomnia. Therefore, therapeutic interventions should pay attention to this area.

Background: Leisure time is one of the most important aspects of life, especially for people with chronic diseases. The concept and types of leisure have frequently been evaluated in different socio-cultural populations. The aim of this study was to identify the nature of leisure activities among a sample of Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and classify the identified types of activities in the context of Iranian culture. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interview was applied to gather data from 34 MS patients that were selected through purposive sampling. The interviews were continued up to the point of saturation. Content analysis was used to explore experiences of the interviewees regarding their leisure activities. Results: Six categories of leisure activities were extracted for the studied patients with MS i.e.physical, social, individual, art/cultural, educational and spiritual/religious. Conclusion: The results represented the range and heterogeneity of leisure activities amongst the MS patients. Considering participation in spiritual/religious and social activities as leisure time undertaking might reflect cultural diversity in the perception and use of time for recreation. For mental health promotion purposes, paying special attention to the types of activities that people of different socio-cultural background choose for their refreshment could help health care providers in giving tailored advice for patients with MS and other chronic debilitating disease.