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Biomedical subjects

C Gonnella

Publications and source records attributed to C Gonnella.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1982

Reliability in evaluating passive intervertebral motion.

Reliable measurements are prerequisite to the successful conduct of outcome studies. In a study of the performance of physical therapists (n = 5) in evaluating passive mobility of the vertebral column with normal subjects (n = 5), several sources of measurement variability were assessed: the reliability within and between therapists, the criteria for grading, and the subjects themselves. Intratherapist reliability was found to be dependable; intertherapist reliability was not. Problems that merit further study were identified as idiosyncratic behaviors that may develop with experience, subject characteristics, and the instrument itself. Periodic assessment of the reliability of therapists in performing evaluations is recommended because of its importance to therapeutic programming.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1981

Self-instruction in a perceptual motor skill.

A self-instructional strategy using an audio-visual medium for learning the rehabilitation skill of a three-point crutch gait was developed and demonstrated to be effective with normal women of various activity levels naive to task demands. Briefly discussed are theoretical considerations based upon Fitt's three stages of acquiring a perceptual-motor skill and Fleishman and Hempel's experimental demonstrations that abilities required in learning change as learning progresses. In a modified posttest-only control group experiment with 20 women, ages 36 to 60, the hypothesis that subjects could learn the cognitive aspects of a motor skill in one viewing of a 6 1/2-minute film was supported. That some transfer of learning occurred to the performance of the skill was substantiated in a second experimental-control study with 20 women, ages 35 to 54. Six criteria were used to judge filmed motor performance of the subjects. Differences in performance between the two groups appeared to be in the quality of movement and the speed with which a subject moved from one stage of learning to the next. The limitations of the two studies and applications of the findings also were discussed.

Achievement↗
PubMed1979

Functional recovery from cancer surgery: estimation of expectations.

Level of expected functional recovery from colostomy, laryngectomy and mastectomy was established by the Delphi technique. One hundred fifteen cancer rehabilitation experts responded to 2 rounds of questionnaires and provided their judgments regarding degrees and timing of recovery in 14 functional, physical and psychological areas. Feedback of first round judgments was provided in the second round and 85% agreement was set as the standard for consensus. The mastectomy patient is expected to have the quickest recovery with former level of functioning reached in most areas by 3 months postdischarge. The colostomy patient is expected to be functioning normally in most areas by 6 months postdischarge. The laryngectomy patient is expected to be functioning normally in most areas by 12 months postdischarge. Some functions were judged to have the same rate of recovery for all 3 patient types; for example, the experts agreed that for the 55-year-old patients described in the case abstracts, sexual activities would not reach the preoperative frequency until 12 months postdischarge.

Breast Neoplasms↗