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 Research for the Older Adult Driving Initiative (ROADI)
Tomorrow's Research for Today's Driver | |
Completed Student Projects Associated with ROADI |
 Participant’s Perceptions of the Usefulness of CarFit Using a quasi-experimental research design, forty-four seniors from three different settings participated in a CarFit event and were interviewed about the experience. Data was analyzed to describe driving histories of participants and make inferences about perceptions of the program’s usefulness. Results show the average age of participants as 76.69 years old with a range of 55-86 years. Participants were from a retirement community, city area, and rural area. Using a Likert scale with 1 being poor/strongly disagree and 5 being excellent/strongly agree, the mean rating of the CarFit experience was 4.61 and rating of the value/usefulness was 4.58. Participants indicated they would recommend CarFit to a friend or family member. It was also found that 24% of participants drove a Buick and the majority of cars were made in 2000 or later. The majority of participants traveled within 50 miles of their homes, regardless of age or setting. As a result of Carfit, twenty-seven participants indicated that they thought more about their driving after attending CarFit. Further comparison of the three groups needs additional analysis. Results suggest that most participants perceive CarFit as a beneficial and useful experience because they learned helpful information related to safe driving. Courtney Cosentino, Iesha Hernandez, and Kimberly Hocking are all professional master’s degree students who completed this project under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson and Dr. Jane Painter.
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 Comparison of the AAA Brake Reaction Timer and the RT-2S Brake Reaction Timer The purpose of the study was to examine the correlation in brake reaction times by age group and gender between the RT-2S and American Automobile Association (AAA) blue box, which has established validity. A convenience sample was used for the 224 participants from Eastern North Carolina. Subjects were randomly assigned to counterbalance groups and conducted both brake reaction measurements in order to establish a relationship between the interventions. Results were analyzed against the establish norms for the AAA blue box. Results indicated that brake reaction times are faster for males than females and as age increases, brake reaction times decrease, similar to past studies. The study did find that the RT-2S is a valid instrument for measuring simple brake reaction time. Although the RT-2S brake reaction times are slower than the AAA norms, it is likely that the RT-2S may be more accurate. Daryl Bourgeois is a professional master’s student completing this study under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson.
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 On the Road to Safety: Standardizing the RT-2S Brake Reaction Time Tester With the older adult population on the rise, it is imperative that measures are in place to test the ability of older adults to safely perform the occupation of operating a motor vehicle. The purpose of this study was to standardize the RT-2S Simple Reaction Time Tester as reliable and valid instrument for use in driving evaluations as compared to norms established by the already standardized American Automobile Association Brake Reaction Timer. A correlational research design was used. The results of this study indicated that the RT-2S is a valid and reliable tool. Thus, occupational therapists will continue to have an effective and valid method to measuring simple brake reaction time, an important factor in older adult driving evaluations. Meredith Parnell, Stephanie Robinson, Kristin Stone, and Kristin Whitley, professional master’s degree graduates, worked under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson.
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 60 going on 16: A Driver Safety Program for Older Adults Purpose The purpose of this research study is to determine whether a community based educational intervention is an effective means for changing the awareness of driving behavior of older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used for this study. A community educational program was developed focusing on aging and how it affects driving ability. The program was presented to three local senior groups. A pretest and posttest were used to measure the effectiveness of the presentation as well as the participant’s perception of driving. Data was compiled and analyzed. Results: Data analysis yielded an 11% increase in post-test scores compared with those of the pre-test. Using a paired t-test, there was a significant difference between pretest to posttest scores on the older adults’ perceived importance of driving and on their reported skills and knowledge of driving. The results suggest that older adults’ perceived view of driving changed significantly from participating in the program. Conclusion: Occupational therapy community educational interventions are effective for increasing older adult’s perception of driving ability and importance, as well as changing safety awareness of driving behaviors. Ashley Christopher & Amy Wentz, professional master’s degree graduates, worked under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson.
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Is There a Relationship Between Performance on In-Clinic Driving Assessments and On-road Driving Performance Among Elderly Adults? The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between performance on in-clinic assessments and on-road driving performance in elderly that have been referred for a driving evaluation and community-based well-elderly. The study examined the performance of 9 elderly people that were referred to Pitt County Memorial Hospital for a driving evaluation as well as 8 community-based well-elderly volunteers ages 65 and over. Data was collected through various in-clinic assessments administered by two occupational therapy students. Assessments tested areas of vision, cognition, physical ability, proprioception, reaction time, and rules of the road. Data was also compared between the two groups in order to identify discrepancies in in-clinic performance that may identify at-risk drivers. This study may help occupational therapy practitioners determine appropriate screening tools that will identify at risk older drivers who may need a full driving evaluation. This will help to eliminate unnecessary and costly driving evaluations, assist the occupational therapy practitioner identify when to refer a client for a full driving evaluation, and assist in determining when driving rehabilitation would enhance performance. Heidi Hebert and Jennifer Albright, professional master’s degree graduates worked under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson. 
Does the AMPS Predict Problems with Driving in Older Adults? The purpose of this study was to determine if the AMPS (Assessment of Motor Processing Skills) could be used as a screening tool for a driving evaluation. Driving evaluations are often expensive and time intensive. Finding an accurate, effective, and cost effective screening tool is essential to benefit older drivers. Since the AMPS is a sensitive assessment completed under an hour, it could be effective for screening older drivers. Thirteen subjects were recruited for the study. All of the subjects were older adults living in the community. Five subjects were referred by either a physician or the Department of Motor Vehicles as “at risk” drivers and were to complete a driving evaluation. Eight subjects were recruited as healthy, safe drivers. All subjects completed a full driving evaluation consisting of both in-clinic assessments and a behind the wheel driving tests and all completed the AMPS assessment by a certified AMPS therapist. The results found were that there was no significant difference between the well subjects and the referred, “at risk” subjects on the AMPS assessment in terms of motor and process skills. Although, the well group did not have any referrals for the driving assessment, they did have some underlying problems that affected their AMPS score. The AMPS did prove that it is a sensitive tool that can detect disabilities in the motor and process skills of people but further research is warranted to determine if it can be used as an effective tool for screening older drivers. Kristin Bullock, a professional master’s degree graduate, worked under the direction of Dr. Anne Dickerson. |
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 The Validation of the Computerized Motor Free Visual Perception Training Program as an Accepted Occupational Therapy Treatment Intervention This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Computer-Assisted Visual Perception Training (CAVPT) software as a means to improve visual perception skills in older adults. The concept was that if these skills could be improved, it may lead to increased self-esteem, the ability to engage in meaningful tasks, increased safety in activities such as driving, and decreased fall risk. Twenty-three participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: computer intervention, paper intervention, or control. The intervention groups completed eight training sessions using the CAVPT software or paper copies derived from the software. All participants were pre-tested and post-tested using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test – 3rd Edition (MVPT-3). Participants completing the computer intervention demonstrated a slightly greater change than participants completing the paper-based intervention, but neither group exhibited a significant improvement over the control group. The results show no significant impact of computer-based or paper-based intervention on visual perception skills as measured by the MVPT-3. Although the results did not reflect a significant improvement of skills, participant feedback provided valuable insights on ways to improve the CAVPT software to achieve better outcomes. Erin Cunningham, Victoria Hatch, and Teresa Kreis are professional master students under the direction of Dr. Leonard Trujillo.
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 The Effectiveness of a Computerized Motor-free Visual Perception Training Program on Normal Older Adults as Measured by the MVPT-3 Purpose This study looked at the effect of the Computer Assisted Visual Training Program (CAVPT) on the Motor-free Visual Perceptual Test (MVPT-3) scores of normal older adults. Visual perception skills are a major requirement for driving. The MVPT-3 has been found to be highly predictive of failure on on-road driving evaluations. Methods: A single subject pretest-posttest method was used with 5 participants. Each of the participants was given a pretest evaluation using the MVPT-3. The participants completed 10 training sessions using the CAVPT to simulate a typical clinical treatment. After the final session, the participant was given the MVPT-3 again as the posttest. Results: Out of the five participants that completed the study, the two oldest participants made significant improvements. Conclusion: The results of this study support previous findings that the CAVPT can positively affect the MVPT-3 posttest scores of older adults and improve their visual perception. Courtney Enos, a professional master’s degree graduate, worked under the direction of Dr. Leonard Trujillo.
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 The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Interactive Metronome Training in Older Adults As the population in the United States ages, the demands for occupational therapy interventions to improve the older adults’ ability to maintain participation in desired activities are seen as paramount by the Baby Boomers. The Interactive Metronome is a treatment tool that claims to improve a person’s neurological and motor processing, planning and sequencing, and attention abilities and is purported to meet many of these demands. A pretest-posttest experimental design was used to determine the Interactive Metronome’s affect on finger dexterity. The study of twelve participants ages 55 and older from North Carolina indicate that finger dexterity improves after Interactive Metronome intervention. Lindsay Alspaugh, Sandy Gant, Amanda Garner, professional master’s degree graduates, worked under the direction of Dr. Leonard G. Trujillo.
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