Date of Award
2010
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Janet Jedlicka
Keywords
Computer Simulation; Rehabilitation -- instrumentation; Video Games
Abstract
Therapists have the challenge of identifying a variety of interesting, meaningful, and purposeful intervention activities for individuals needing rehabilitation services (Weiss, Rand, Katz, & Kizony, 2004). The purpose of this project was to develop educational resources for occupational therapists on the integration of the Nintendo Wii as an intervention.
An extensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, professional journals, and news articles to investigate the health related effects of utilizing virtual reality and video games in the rehabilitation process. Currently, there is minimal research identifying the benefits of video games in occupational therapy practice and no protocols were found to assist occupational therapists with implementing the Nintendo Wii into occupational therapy practice.
Resources were developed to educate occupational therapy practitioners on integrating the Nintendo Wii as an occupational therapy intervention. Resources include an educational in-service, a system set-up guide, instructions for creating a Mii character, an activity analysis of the Nintendo Wii Sports games, suggested intervention chart for select performance skills, and case scenario application activities. The educational inservice provides information on the role of virtual reality in rehabilitation, benefits and precautions/contraindications of virtual reality, identification of Nintendo Wii equipment, and system set-up instructions. The Adult Learning Theory and the Model of Human Occupation were utilized in the development of the product.
This educational in-service provides occupational therapists with information on the integration of the Nintendo Wii. It provides foundational knowledge allowing therapists to adapt and modify the use of the Nintendo Wii to facilitate occupational performance and client-centered practice. The authors of this scholarly project recommend that the Nintendo Wii be used as an adjunct to occupation-based intervention. It is also recommended that more research be conducted regarding the use of video games, specifically the Nintendo Wii, in occupational therapy to determine the efficacy of this type of approach.
Recommended Citation
Bowersox, Ashley and Lund, Sarah, "Integrating the Nintendo Wii into Therapy: Resources for Occupational Therapy Practitioners" (2010). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 181.
https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/181