Health Sciences

Title: Investigation of the factors that influence the health and occupations of Victorian mothers of a child with a disability.

Investigators: Helen Bourke-Taylor (PhD candidate); Ass. Prof. Linsey Howie, Prof. Mary Law

Title: The value of client centred practice from the perspective of adults with an acquired brain injury participating in community based therapy
Description: This project involves the use of qualitative research methodology to better understand client centred practice from the perspective of adults with an acquired brain injury.
Investigators: Kate Boyle, Primrose Lentin

Title: IN_Touch: Imaging Neuroplasticity of Touch. Scientific title: Brain adaptation associated with training-induced recovery of touch sensation post-stroke (using fMRI).

Description: We aim to locate and compare areas of brain activation associated with spontaneous and training-induced recovery of touch sensation following stroke, using serial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Investigators: Leeanne Carey, David Abbott, Aina Puce, Rudiger Seitz, Thomas Matyas, Geoffrey Donnan.

Title: SENSe: Study of the Effectiveness of Neurorehabilitation on Sensation. Scientific title: Effectiveness of training somatosensation in the hand after stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Description: This project aims to establish the evidence required to recommend the introduction of scientifically based sensory discrimination training program into routine clinical practice.

Investigators: Leeanne Carey, Thomas Matyas, Richard Macdonell, Derick Wade.

Title: Influence of touch sensation and its retraining on finger grip after stroke.

Description: This project will investigate the relationship between touch deficit and performance of the basic pinch-grip lift-and-hold action. Quantitative measures of these abilities have been developed. The study will also examine the ability to retrain discrimination of how slippery surfaces are and if such retraining can reduce abnormalities in the pinch grip action.

Investigators: Leeanne Carey, Thomas Matyas, Jannette Blennerhassett.

Title: Imaging neuroplasticity of touch in late stages of recovery after stroke

Description: This project will investigate how the brain adapts in the later stages of recovery after stroke. In particular, we will characterise the relationship between sensory outcome and brain activation in the chronic phase post-stroke (12 months or later). Importantly we will compare these patterns with those observed in the sub-acute phase (1 to 6 months).

Title: Development of Measures of Tactile and Proprioceptive Discrimination

Description: This project involves a series of studies to develop quantitative measures of touch discrimination, limb position sense and tactual object recognition. Studies include establishing the reliability, discriminative validity and normative standards for the measures. Investigation of the specificity of loss across measures is also being conducted.

Title: Sensory processing abilities of children who sustain moderate or severe acquired brain injuries.
Investigators:
Jane Galvin, Elspeth Froude, Christine Imms

Title:  Functional outcomes following paediatric stroke

Investigators:  Jane Galvin, Melinda Randall, Mark MacKay, James Rice, Sara Hewish

Title:  A trial of the parent Information ‘Keeping It Together’ Management Package in an Australian context.

Description: This is a pilot study to assess the overall effectiveness and usefulness of an Australian adaptation of a Canadian Parent Information ‘Keeping It Together’ Management Package.  The KIT management package is an information organising package that enables parents of children who have a disability to file and manage information related to their child’s care. 

Investigators: Jane Galvin, Elspeth Froude, Janeen Stewart

Title: Describing participation of Victorian children who have sustained Acquired Brain Injuries

Description:
The project aims to describe the participation of children in Victoria who have sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI).  The Child and Family Follow-up Survey developed in America specifically for children with an ABI will be used to obtain information from parents regarding their child’s participation in the areas of school, home and community life.  

Investigators: Jane Galvin, Elspeth Froude, Jennifer McAleer

Title: The effectiveness of intervention for children with handwriting problems.
Description: This study examines the performance of children with DCD who have handwriting difficulties before during and after intervention using a variety of evaluation measures such as online, VMI, and the Handwriting speed test. Data on 398 primary school children has also been collected to examine handwriting and visual motor integration performance.

Title:  Sensory processing abilities of children who sustain moderate or severe acquired brain injuries.
Description: This study investigates the performance of children with brain injuries on the sensory profile.

Title: A multidisciplinary approach to evaluating and optimizing school readiness: Phase one: analysis of factors contributing to determining to school readiness.
Description:

Title: Diversity of participation of children with cerebral palsy: The middle years.
Description: Studies investigating diversity of participation in children who have cerebral palsy in activities outside of school. Research will investigate factors that support participation and examine the impact of transition to high school on participation
Investigators: Christine Imms, Professor Sheena Reilly, Professor John Carlin.

Title: Functional outcomes following upper limb surgery for children with cerebral palsy.
Description: This single-group research project is investigating the effectiveness of tendon transfers and muscle release surgery in the upper limbs of children who have cerebral palsy. Outcomes are being measured in terms of goals attained Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and improvement in quality of arm use (The Melbourne Assessment of Upper Limb Function). 
Investigators: Josie Duncan, Melinda Randall, Dr. Bruce Johnstone, Christine Imms

Title: Botulinum toxin A in the hemiplegic upper limb: A randomised control trial.
Description: Randomised clinical trial for children aged 18 months to 5 years who to compare outcomes following repeat Botulinum Toxin A injections in the upper limb and occupational therapy intervention with occupational therapy training alone over a 12 month period.
Investigators: Dr. Christine Olesch, Prof. Dinah Reddihough, Prof. H. Kerr Graham, Christine Imms, Sue Greaves

Title: Does improvement in motor skills affect self concept and health related quality of life in school aged children with cerebral palsy?
Description: Randomised contolled cross-over pilot trial of strength training in the lower or dexterity training in the upper limb for children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy to improve motor performance, health related quality of life and self-perception
Investigators: Anne McCoy, Christine Imms, Prof. Mary Galea, Barbara Scoullar, Dr. Rob Sands ,Dr. Eva Nordmark, Margaret Robertson

Title: Manual Ability Classification System (MACS): An Australian validation study.
Description: Validation & reliability study will recruit 20 therapists (occupational therapists and physiotherapists) and 50 children to determine clinical utility and reliability of the MACS. 
Investigators: Assoc. Prof. Ann-Christin Eliasson, Christine Imms, Dr.Roslyn Boyd

Title: A multidisciplinary approach to evaluating and optimizing school readiness: Phase one: analysis of factors contributing to determining to school readiness.
Description: Survey of kindergarten and preparatory teachers to determine factors that influence decisions regarding school readiness.
Investigators: Dr. Anne Ozanne, Dr. Patricia Eadie, Elspeth Froude, Chyrisse Heine, Christine Imms, Beverley Joffe, Celeste Merrigan, Tanya Serre

Title: Retrospective data analysis to examine the outcomes for children undergoing occupational therapy intervention (splinting) for camptodactyly.
Description: Data mining project to explore outcomes of splinting intervention for children and adolescents with Camptodactyly.  Extracting data related to outcomes for infant and adolescent onset camptodactyly. 
Current investigators: Josie Duncan, Christine Imms, Dr. Jeremy Simcock

Title: A phenomenological investigation of chronic pain in individuals
with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] associated distal symmetrical polyneuropathy [DSPN].

Scott Presnell, Wendy Rickard, Jenny Strong

Self-reported occupational performance problems in a sample of 200 patients referred to a specialist chronic pain management centre.

Scott Presnell, Jenny Strong

Title: A randomised controlled pilot study to determine the effect of a thermoplastic resting splint on spasticity in the stroke-affected upper limb.
Description: The purpose of this project is to determine whether a resting splint worn on the stroke-affected hand can reduce resistance in muscles of the wrist and fingers and maintain joint range.
Investigators: Ursula Winzeler-Merçay, Dr. Heather Mudie and Jacinta Sheehan

Title: The relationship between physical performance and self-perception in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
Description: This project aimed to explore differences in domain-specific self-concept and global self-esteem of children with and without spastic diplegic CP.  The relationship between physical performance and domain-specific related self-competence was also examined.  Finally, a correlation analysis between the Harter SPPC and the Australian Child health Questionnaire - CHQ was undertaken.
Investigators: Melanie Ziebell, Christine Imms (supervisor), Elspeth Froude (co-supervisor)