OU Researcher receives $1.6M Grant to Study School Outcome Measure for Children with Disabilities

Sandra H. Arnold, PT, PhD, associate professor of physical therapy in the College of Allied Health and her team are conducting a national study on a newly developed outcomes measure, School Outcomes Measure (SOM) to measure the functional outcomes of students with disabilities ages 3 to 21 years who receive school-based occupational therapy (OT) and/or physical therapy (PT) related services.

This national study will validate, refine, and prepare an electronic version of the SOM using the fewest number of items possible to measure the functional abilities of students. This study will develop a SOM-specific database that will allow related services providers to longitudinally collect, compare, and interpret student outcomes and provide an open access data collection system that therapists can use to collect SOM data nationwide.

The anticipated results of the current study will contribute to improved documentation of OT and PT services and students’ functional abilities, and improved services for students with disabilities.

Data collection will take place in preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools across the U.S.A, by 300 school-based OTs and PTs, with students on their caseloads receiving OT and/or PT services, totaling 1,200 students ages 3-21 years.

Arnold and Co-Principal Investigators, Thubi H.A. Kolobe, PT, PhD, FAPTA, and Everett Smith, PhD (University of Illinois, Chicago) are funded with a 4-year Award (7/1/2016-6/30/2020), $1,599,940.