Spatial Temporal Horizons / Praxis and Organization of Behavior in Time and Space

Erna Blanche, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Join us for an insightful workshop that explores the profound influence of praxis—the organization of behavior in space and time—on occupational health, participation, well-being and even healthy attachment.    

Well-being is intricately linked to our ability to organize behavior within and across different spatiotemporal horizons. Challenges in sensory processing impact our perception of time and our perception of time in addition to our abilities to motor plan, socially interact and participate in daily occupations. For instance, challenges in the "Body Space in the Present" horizon can lead to issues with self-regulation and affect regulation, which are foundational for secure attachment and emotional resilience. Similarly, difficulties in "Reach Space in Proximal Time" and "Moving Through Proximal Space and Time" can impact social interactions and the ability to engage in reciprocal relationships, which are crucial for developing and maintaining healthy attachments.    

As individuals progress to the "Moving Through Cognitive Space in Extended Time" and "Imagining Action in Distant Time" horizons, their capacity to plan, anticipate, and conceptualize future actions becomes essential for developing a coherent sense of self, setting goals, and forming lasting connections.    

By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a clear understanding of how navigating the complexities of space and time is not just a physical endeavor but a journey that is fundamental to our well-being and our ability to form meaningful connections with others.   

After participating in this session, attendees should be able to: 

• Understand the fundamental concept of praxis as it relates to the organization of behavior in time and space and recognize its significance in occupational therapy practice. 
• Identify the relationship between praxis, ideation, and the organization of behavior, as described by Ayres, and understand how dysfunctions in praxis can affect daily occupations and routines. 
• Summarize the five spatiotemporal horizons presented in the conceptual model and their implications for the development of praxic abilities and the orchestration of daily occupations. 
• Identify 2-3 basic intervention strategies for individuals with dyspraxia, considering the individual's age, developmental status, and specific praxic challenges. 

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What’s New in Assessment: The Sensory Processing 3 Dimensions 

Sarah A. Schoen, PhD, OTR/L

This presentation provides an overview of a new assessment called the Sensory Processing 3 Dimensions. Unique features will be shared, and advantages described. Videotaped examples of actual responses will be embedded within the presentation. Potential application for use will be discussed.  

At the end of the session, participants will be able to:  

• Summarize the SP3D as a norm-referenced performance tool and recall its three primary constructs 
• Describe the constructs assessed by the SP3D 
• Describe the components of the performance measure and the supplemental forms  
• List 3 advantages or unique features of the SP3D 

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Summer Camp Adventures: Mastering Motor Planning Through Outdoor Play

Emily Tull, MSOT, OTR/L, EP-C, Emily Grieb, MSOT, OTR/L

Join us as we explore the research from Camp Jabiru, a one-week outdoor occupational therapy camp in Australia. Emily Tull, a key member of the research team, examined how motor planning (praxis) in children was enhanced by this immersive experience. Building on these insights, Emily Tull and Emily Grieb will demonstrate how their business, Peaks & Bounds, applies similar principles in their mini summer day camps and peer group programs. Their firsthand experiences at Peaks & Bounds underscore the profound effects of outdoor play on improving motor planning in children, reinforcing the findings from Camp Jabiru and highlighting the crucial role of outdoor activities in child development.

After participating in this session, attendees should be able to: 

• List the key findings from the research conducted at Camp Jabiru regarding the enhancement of motor planning (praxis) in children.
• Identify specific outdoor activities that effectively improve motor planning and praxis in children.
• Summarize the benefits of outdoor play on children's motor planning as observed in the programs at Peaks & Bounds.
• Predict how implementing similar outdoor programs can impact motor planning and overall development in other settings.
• Explain how nature can be a co-facilitator in therapy with professionals to enhance children's praxic skills.

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Pilot Study for Preliminary Characterization of Severe Dyspraxia in Autism

Virginia Spielmann, PhD, OTR/L, Sarah A. Schoen, PhD, OTR/L

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"A Little Bit Clumsy and Full of Problems”: Reframing Outdated Perspectives of Dyspraxia/DCD

Priscila (Caçola) Tamplain, PhD

Many children with motor skill challenges may not receive the proper assessment and intervention they need. These difficulties can significantly impact both mental and physical health. This presentation will explore the nature of motor challenges in children, reframing outdated perceptions, and providing actionable recommendations for professionals.

Specifically, the session will cover the diagnostic criteria, mechanisms, and interventions for DCD/Dyspraxia.

After participating in this session, attendees should be able to: 

• Define DCD/Dyspraxia
• Describe the main characteristics of DCD/Dyspraxia
• Identify and properly assess for DCD/Dyspraxia
• Provide recommendations for interventions in DCD/Dyspraxia

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The Just Right Reach: Understanding Affordances and Sensory Discrimination in the Process of Praxis

Tracy Murnan Stackhouse, MA, OTR

Praxis is a fundamental developmental capacity that enables us to perform skillful actions. Dr. A. Jean Ayres dedicated many decades of her life’s work to establishing the sensory integrative processing foundations of praxis. Her work created a critical bridge between sensation and performance, with sensory discrimination and perceptual processing as the primary sensory integration elements involved in praxis.

Exploring this link from a developmental neuroscience perspective highlights the importance of understanding affordances. Affordances are the potential actions that the environment and our bodies offer. Affordances are understood through the dynamics of sensory discrimination and how it interacts within the praxis capacity. Thus, the dynamic interaction between sensory discrimination, which gives rise to ideation, and the process of praxis, is essential for providing evidence-based interventions including direct and indirect models of care in pediatric occupational therapy.

After participating in this session, attendees should be able to: 

• Comprehend the Foundations of Praxis: Participants will gain a thorough understanding of praxis as a fundamental developmental capacity, informed by Dr. A. Jean Ayres' work on the sensory integrative processing foundations of praxis.
• Understand the Role of Affordances in Sensory Integration: Participants will explore the concept of affordances, learning how potential actions offered by the environment and our bodies are understood through the dynamics of sensory discrimination and its interaction with praxis.
• Apply Sensory Discrimination and Praxis in Pediatric Occupational Therapy: Participants will examine the dynamic interaction between sensory discrimination and praxis, focusing on how it gives rise to ideation.
• Participants will identify evidence-based interventions, including direct and indirect models of care, in pediatric occupational therapy that support praxis and skill development through an enhanced understanding of the role of sensory discrimination and affordances.

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A Reconceptualization of Praxis

Teresa A. May-Benson, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA

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Facilitating Affirming Outcomes in Addressing Praxis Through an Occupational Justice Lens

Kathleen C. Schlenz, ABD, OTR, Anna Knox, MSOT, OTR/L, CEIS

This session will address the global call for universal and accessible opportunities for meaningful engagement in childhood occupations. Using the intersection of the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework - 4 as guides, key considerations in the assessment and intervention of praxis differences will be explored.  Systemic influences on assessment and intervention of praxis differences will be highlighted including political, medical, socioeconomic, cultural, biopsychosocial, and individual/family contexts.  Using a multimodal learning approach, participants will also be introduced to the value of reflecting on identity development and lived experiences as influencers on clinical reasoning and therapeutic relationships, particularly regarding praxis.

After participating in this session, attendees should be able to: 

• Define key elements of the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework and the UN/WHO statements on childhood occupations influencing praxis assessment and intervention.
• Describe methods of applying the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework in daily practice with praxis assessment and intervention.
• Summarize the influences of systemic contexts in addressing praxis.
• Analyze/Reflect on the influence of lived experience on clinical reasoning in context of addressing praxis.

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Navigating Time & Space

Virginia Spielmann, PhD, OTR/L