Kyung-Yoon Kam

The purpose of this study was to analyze hand movements using artificial intelligence. From September 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020, a total of 200 individuals, including those with limited hand movements and healthy individuals, were included in the study. Photographs were acquired using a smartphone camera to establish a protocol for hand movements, targeting 100 healthy individuals and 100 individuals with limited hand movements due to central nervous system diseases. The protocol for hand motion video recording using a smartphone camera was as follows: During the hand movement, the participant sat on a chair sufficiently high to touch the floor and did not lean against the back. When the participant sat on the chair and placed the forearm on the desk, the elbow joint was bent at 90°, and the arm was placed on the desk to perform hand movements. The participant placed the forearm in a neutral position on the desk. The smartphone camera was positioned 45 cm in front of the palm at the same height as that of the hand, and then a video was recorded. The data collected to determine the hand movements of all subjects were used for artificial intelligence machine learning analyses. An independent t-test was performed to determine the difference between the two groups. Significant differences between the two groups were observed (p < 0.001). The motion analysis through images showed that the analysis of hand motions using artificial intelligence is feasible. The analysis of healthy individuals and those with limited hand movements confirmed that hand movement alone can be used to quickly and accurately predict hand functions.

This study aimed to develop a school activity screening tool based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) using the modified Delphi technique (MDT). To collect information about activities needed in schools, nine occupational therapy personnel, five scholars, and six teachers and inspectors participated in the study. Participants were recruited through educational institutions in each city and province and the Korean Society of Occupational Therapy for Child and School. The survey questionnaire comprised six items on participants' characteristics (i.e. sex, age, location in Korea, duration of employment, type of school or institution, and educational level of subjects for occupational therapy) and 153 items in five categories for screening of school activities. Three rounds of MDT were conducted. The data were analysed to compute the mean for each item, and the final items were selected based on the item fit. After three rounds of MDT, 61 items were deleted, 14 from education, 16 from mobility, five from self-care/activities of daily living (ADL), 20 from interpersonal interactions and relationships, and five from communication. This resulted in a final 92 items, which were used to develop the ICF-based school activity screening tool.

This study verified validity and reliability of the School Function Assessment (SFA) using Rasch analysis in South Korean school-based occupational therapy sites serving children with intellectual disabilities and others. Participants were 103 elementary school children (grades 1 through 6) with disabilities. Rasch analysis revealed several misfitting items. Difficulty levels of items, presented in hierarchical order, were very different from those found at the time of development of the SFA. Results for the rating scale fit showed that a 4-point scale, rather than the existing 6-point scale, was more appropriate for several parts of the SFA in the Korean context. Separation reliability ranged from good to very good, with coefficients from .85 to .99. This study contributes to the literature by verifying the reliability and validity of the SFA for students who need school-based occupational therapy in Korea using Rasch analysis, with a focus on applying it to children with intellectual disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders. For more efficient application of the SFA in South Korea in the future, it remains necessary to modify the misfitting items, rearrange their difficulty levels, and properly adjust the rating scales rather than evaluating items by literally translating them into Korean.

BACKGROUND: The resistive jaw opening exercise (RJOE) was suggested as a potential remedial treatment for patients with dysphagia. However, clinical evidence is insufficient. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of RJOE on hyoid bone movement, aspira