Australian Occupational Therapy Journal

(2001)

48

, 146–147

Blackwell Science Asia

2 0 0 1 O T A U S T R A L I A R e s e a r c h A w a r d s

1000Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong

OT AUSTRALIA makes three awards on a biannual basisto recognise outstanding research by occupational ther-apists in Australia. The Research Awards aim to honourthose who are contributing towards the development of theresearch base of occupational therapy, and to encourageresearch activity that advances the study and practice ofoccupational therapy.

There are three categories of Awards. Research con-ducted by a student in an occupational therapy entry levelprogram (undergraduate category); research conductedas part of graduate studies (postgraduate category) andresearch undertaken that is not towards a qualification(open category). The Awards were judged in a blindreview process by an expert independent panel of occupa-tional therapy researchers. The 2001 Research Awardswere presented at the 21st National Conference in Brisbanein April of this year.

WINNERS OF THE OT AUSTRALIA AWARDS 2001

The 2001 winners of the Research Awards are MelanieGray (undergraduate category), Cathy McBryde (post-graduate category), and Chris Lloyd and Hazel Bassett(open category: joint winners)

Undergraduate student category

Melanie Gray:

The illness experience and occupations of

people with chronic fatigue syndrome

Melanie completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapydegree at La Trobe University in 1998. She completedthe research on which her paper was based as part of herhonours degree. The project was supervised by Ellie Fossey,lecturer in the School of Occupational Therapy at La TrobeUniversity. Melanie commenced her clinical career asan occupational therapist/case manager at Hamilton Com-munity Mental Health Service, South-west Healthcare,and is now at the Southern Community Mental HealthService in Moorabbin, Victoria.

Abstract

Occupational therapists are increasingly utilising narrat-ives as a means to understand people

’

s experiencesof illness and occupations over time. Chronic fatiguesyndrome (CFS) affects people

’

s physical and cognitivecapacities for participation in their roles and occupations,but has received limited consideration in occupationaltherapy research or literature. This study explores theillness experience and occupations of five people livingwith CFS. Narrative interview data was collected usingthe Occupational Performance History Interview-II(OPHI-II). Thematic data analysis revealed five majoraspects of participants

’

illness experiences: experiencingand understanding CFS; experiencing different types offatigue;

‘

an ending and a beginning

’

; experiencing doingactivities; and doing something towards getting well.Evidently, CFS dramatically altered participants

’

lifestories, identities, lifestyles, relationships and occupations.This study indicates OPHI-II is a useful instrumentfor learning about the illness experience. It supportsthe need for further occupational therapy research andintervention to assist people with CFS to regain controlover their lives and occupations.

Postgraduate research category

Cathy McBryde:

Factors influencing parent and teacher

perceptions of a child

’

s readiness for, and adjustment

to, school

Cathy

’

s winning paper is a synopsis of the researchundertaken for her doctoral studies at the University ofQueensland. Cathy qualified as an occupational therapistin 1986, with honours, and commenced full time doctoralstudies in 1997, having successfully gained a scholarshipfrom the University of Queensland. Her doctoral workwas completed earlier this year and she was supervisedin her studies by Dr Jenny Ziviani, School of Occupa-tional Therapy, and Dr Monica Cuskelly, Fred andEleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.Cathy

’

s clinical focus has been with children and shehas worked at The Royal Children

’

s Hospital, Brisbane,

AOT270.fm Page 146 Wednesday, August 1, 2001 4:02 PM

2001 OT Australia Research Awards

147

for a number of years as well as having taken on associatelectureship and research project work. Her particularresearch and clinical interests are oncology, learningdisability and developmental delay.

Abstract

The impact of biological and contextual influences onparent and teacher perceptions of a child

’

s school readi-ness, and the child

’

s subsequent adjustment to Year One,was investigated in this exploratory study. Separate parentand teacher models were proposed wherein associationsbetween the influencing factors, parents

’

and preschoolteachers

’

perceptions of a child

’

s readiness, and sub-sequent adjustments to school were hypothesised. Struc-tural equation modelling was undertaken to determinethe fit of the data to each of the models. Analysis of thehypothesised parent and teacher models indicated goodlevels of fit, with results affirming the multiplicity offactors influencing parents and preschool teachers intheir deliberations about readiness for school. Further,preschool teachers

’

perceptions of readiness for schoolwere predictive of the child

’

s adjustment to schoolas measured by Year One teachers, supporting thejudgements of preschool teachers in this regard.

Open category

Chris Lloyd and Hazel Bassett:

A survey of Australian

mental health occupational therapists: Issues now and

in the future

Chris Lloyd is a senior occupational therapist at theIntegrated Mental Health Rehabilitation Services, GoldCoast Hospital, and she also has a senior clinical lecture-ship position at the University of Queensland. In addition,she is currently undertaking doctoral studies. Chris haspublished extensively in Australian, British, Canadian,New Zealand and North American Journals on a varietyof mental health issues, including employment and leisuresatisfaction issues for people with mental illness as well asservice delivery issues influencing practitioners.

Hazel Bassett works as an occupational therapist atthe Integrated Mental Heath Rehabilitation Services,Gold Coast Hospital. She graduated as an occupationaltherapist in 1980 from the University of Queensland andhas concentrated her clinical work and publications onmental health practice. One of Hazel

’

s particular researchinterests is parents with mental illness and their preschoolchildren and she is undertaking her Masters programresearch in this area. She also has an interest in trans-cultural mental health practice.

Chris and Hazel

’

s winning research arose from theirshared interest in the changing role of occupational ther-apists who work in mental health in Australia. Thisresearch was undertaken in collaboration with DrRobert King, Department of Psychiatry, University ofQueensland.

Abstract

The introduction of mental health reform has resulted innew models of care and changed work practices for allmental health professionals. Occupational therapists, aswith other mental health professionals, have beenrequired to assume new roles and responsibilities. Theoverseas literature has reflected concern about this newway of working. The aim of this exploratory study was toexamine the current work practices and issues faced byAustralian mental health occupational therapists. Onehundred and forty-eight respondents answered the occu-pational therapy practice in mental health questionnaire.The results from this survey suggest that while genericcase management is the primary work role for occupa-tional therapists, specialist rehabilitation roles continueto play an important part of the current work profile.There is qualitative evidence that generic roles such ascase management cause concern about professionalidentity and training.

Rebecca Allen

Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne,

Coordinator, OT AUSTRALIA National Research Awards

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