Volume 6, Number 1: Fall 2023 Edition

Committee & Task Force Updates 

Applied Cognition & TBI Task Force

Co-Chairs: Sonya Kim, Sonya.Kim@nyulangone.org & Marianne Mortera, MariannehMortera@gmail.com

The Applied Cognition & TBI Task Force is currently engaged in an important research project entitled ‘A systematic review of the effect of pharmacological intervention to improve attention post-TBI.’ The project aims to investigate the impact of pharmacological interventions on attention improvement following traumatic brain injury (TBI). If this research topic sparks your interest, we encourage you to reach out to the Co-Chairs of the Task Force: Dr. Sonya Kim, PhD, CRC, BCB; Dr. Marianne Mortera, PhD, OTR/L; and Dr. Patricia Heyn, PhD, FGSA, FACRM (Past Chair). For further insight into their work, you can refer to their work: Wen, P., Mortera, M. H., Hu, X., Mohapatra, B., Kim, S., Wong, D. C., Gopaul, U., Heyn, P. (2023, October). American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine 100th Annual Conference, Progress in Rehabilitation Research (PIRR). Pharmacological treatments for attention in patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.

Long-Term Community Measure Task Force

Chair: Shannon Juengst, shannon.juengst@utsouthwestern.edu

The Long-Term Community Measure Task Force is currently engaged in deliberations to initiate a novel research endeavor aimed at investigating the quantification of within-person variability, the potential application of the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), and its significance as a crucial clinical indicator and predictor of outcomes. At this stage, the project remains in its preliminary phase, with the research question yet to be definitively formulated. The Task Force enthusiastically welcomes the participation of new members, particularly those with proposals to lead projects in collaboration with existing Task Force members, benefiting from their support and involvement. For those expressing interest, please do not hesitate to email Shannon if you are interested in joining this team!

Measurement Forum

Chair: Allan Kozlowski, allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

The Measurement ISIG (M-ISIG) has identified an opportunity to provide a service to ACRM members and engage M-ISIG members by inviting and responding to measurement-related questions. We anticipate this service will be of particular interest to early career members, many of whom are graduate students, and seek to leverage the expertise of M-ISIG members on a voluntary basis.

The initial task for this group will be to develop a proposal for implementation of a Measurement Forum to run on the blog feature of the ACRM Membership platform, including a definition of scope, rules for respectful communication, management of incoming posts, and assignment to volunteer respondents.

Once approved, the Task Force will be responsible for implementation and ongoing management of the Measurement Forum. Email Allan if you are interested in joining this team!

Rehabilitation Measures Database

Chair: Allen Heinemann, aheinemann@sralab.org 

The Rehabilitation Measures Database (RMD) Task Force formed in 2016 to develop and enhance the content of the RMD, an online summary of instruments used by rehabilitation nurses, therapists and physicians, to help them select standard assessments to monitor patient progress. The RMD collaborates with various institutions to enhance measurement and assessment content through contribution of instrument summaries to the RMD online database. This past year, the RMD Task Force added clinical practice guidelines, common data elements, and EDGE group recommendations to the RMD website and Author Toolkit. We also initiated “RMD Measure of the Week” social media campaign to increase engagement on Twitter, LinkedIN, and Facebook. Our LinkedIn membership is now over 310! We are actively collaborating with new disciplines such as rehabilitation psychology and pediatrics. We continue to present regularly at the ACRM Annual Conference and publish instrument tear sheets in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. For this year, we plan to:

• Collaborate with additional graduate programs in various rehabilitation disciplines
• Continue incorporating clinical practice guidelines and other professional recommendations into instrument summaries on the RMD website
• Update clinician and student educational modules on the RMD website
• Train and maintain student volunteers and collaborators to produce instrument summaries. 

Please reach out to Allen if you are interested in joining the Task Force and/or contributing an instrument summary to RMD!

Stakeholder Engagement

Co-chairs: Jennifer Weaver, Jen.Weaver@colostate.edu and Allan Kozlowski, allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

CALL FOR PAPERS!

The Measurement ISIG Stakeholder Engagement Task Force is developing a proposal for a Special Issue of Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on the topic of person-centered measurement in rehabilitation. The Task Force is reviewing abstracts and we invite you to submit an abstract on this topic. 

Contact Jen Weaver, jen.weaver@colostate.edu, if you are interested in joining this task force or submitting an abstract. 

Standards

Chair: Allan Kozlowski, allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

The Standards Task Force has reconstituted after hiatus. In 2021, this task force worked with the Reporting Rasch Measurement task force to create a glossary of terms. The group also completed a first phase review of selected validity frameworks. Throughout this year, the task force will continue to conduct a second phase review of validity frameworks to prepare and submit a manuscript for peer review. 

If you are interested in joining the Standards Task Force, contact Al Kozlowski.