American Journal of Recreation Therapy

From the Editor-in-Chief: Looking forward

2024-03-06T11:01:27-05:00

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Allison Wilder for her dedicated service to our profession during her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Recreational Therapy (AJRT). I chose to take on the leadership role in AJRT following the retirement of Dr. Wilder, who had assumed the position after Dr. Richardson who accepted the position after the passing of Dr. Linda Buettner, the journal's founding Editor-in-Chief and a significant driving force behind its establishment.

Each of my predecessors played a pivotal role in shaping AJRT into its current form as a reputable scholarly journal for recreational therapy research and evidence-based practice information. Under their guidance, AJRT has become a sought-after resource for recreational therapists, educators, and students seeking up-to-date information on research and practice in our field. I am honored to have continued the legacy of Dr. Wilder, Dr. Buettner and Dr. Richardson, further solidifying AJRT's position in our profession.

RT Open Eagles: Answering the call for evidence-based practice

2024-03-06T11:10:43-05:00

The development, implementation, and access to evidence-based practice (EBP) within the field of recreational therapy (RT) is of critical importance. Moreover, measuring the outcomes and efficacy of RT interventions and the establishment of EBP is paramount to the growth and success of the field as an allied healthcare profession. Resolving this deficiency has proven to be a difficult task for a variety of reasons. Considering this deficiency, and a need for a graduate curriculum redesign, the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) designed an integrated capstone project to assess student learning while at the same time generating content for an open-access, web-based repository named RT Open Eagles.

Volume 23, Number 1

2024-03-06T12:04:04-05:00

Meaning of the Warrior Games: The role of camaraderie and motivation in participation

2024-03-06T11:14:12-05:00

Objectives: Participation in adapted sports (AS) and other recreational activities increases quality of life by reducing negative mood states for injured military service members and veterans. Research exploring perceptions on the role of motivation and camaraderie among injured military service members and veterans who participate in AS is limited. Specifically, these concepts have not been explored among injured military service members and veterans who participated in the Department of Defense-Warrior Games (WG). Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore participants’ perceptions of motivation and camaraderie after participation in the WG.

Design: A qualitative study design.

Setting: WG held in Tampa, Florida (2019).

Participants: Using convenience sampling, 24 athletes (injured military service members and veterans) were recruited for this study.

Intervention: No intervention.

Main outcome measures: Athletes from the 2019 WG were interviewed using open-ended, semi-structured questions. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Constant comparison techniques were utilized. Two constructs guided the meaning of participation in the WG, motivation and camaraderie, which were identified in a previously unpublished study. Camaraderie and motivation are multifaceted constructs guided by the desire to feel part of/represent the military again, be with “like-minded” people, and increase physical and mental health.

Results: Seven total subthemes were identified across the two constructs. For motivation, the following three subthemes were identified: (a) goal setting, (b) health, and (c) inspiration. For the camaraderie construct, the following four subthemes were identified: (d) military identity, (e) like-mindedness and shared experience, (f) family, and (g) support.

Conclusion: This study provides preliminary understanding of the benefits of AS for military service members and veterans, specifically the WG, which is highly understudied. More research works are needed to understand the meaning of participating in nonelite AS competitions for military service members and veterans.

Perceived skill preparation in recreational therapy: A preliminary case report

2024-03-06T11:30:37-05:00

In 2018, the American Therapeutic Recreation Association Higher Education Task Force reported the need for recreational therapy students to gain more practical and applicable knowledge and skills. To improve a perceived gap in skills, Western Carolina University added four service-learning labs for practicing the assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation process and six modality courses to their curriculum. Preliminary results indicated that significant differences in perceived skills were found for two courses, and qualitative indicators were that students felt more confident in several facilitation and behavioral management techniques.

Growth of telehealth recreation and creative arts therapies during COVID-19

2024-03-06T11:50:18-05:00

This article highlights the programing response to coronavirus disease 2019 by an interdisciplinary group of Recreation and Creative Arts Therapists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It provides a qualitative description of the history of telehealth within the VA and the process, challenges, and opportunities faced in adapting their practices to remote delivery. This article aims to add perspective to the programmatic discussion surrounding telehealth and its implications for clinicians in the field.

Distance education in therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy in the United States

2024-03-06T11:56:08-05:00

Distance education (DE) today is a growing phenomenon in American colleges and universities, almost exclusively in the form of online courses. With the rapid development of DE, it has become a burgeoning force within college and university therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy (TR/RT) programs, at a time that there has been a decline in TR/RT professional preparation programs. DE is certainly a timely and important topic for the TR/RT profession. Yet, the development of DE in TR/RT has been largely neglected in the literature of TR/RT. Within this article, the evolution of DE in TR/RT is traced, and ramifications resulting from the developments of DE in TR/RT are considered.

Effects of recreational therapy balance training on individuals participating in an adult day care center

2024-03-06T11:59:39-05:00

As the need for effective balance training programs in adult day care centers increases, this study explores the impact of recreational therapy balance training on three participants. Designed to engage core muscles, lower back, and legs, the intervention employs lower-body strength-training exercises to foster improved balance in these individuals. The Timed Up and Go test and BioSway balance measurement system were utilized to evaluate the success of the balance training program. This research emphasizes the importance of aligning strategies, processes, and interventions to cater to adult day care center participants’ unique needs. The results demonstrate that tailored balance training programs can enhance balance and overall gait ability, highlighting the value of such programs in developing and retaining participants’ physical capabilities. However, further research involving a more extensive and diverse population is necessary to corroborate and generalize these findings. This study is based on field research from an adult day care center and validation of results through a quantitative analysis.