University of New England

Pediatrics scholar Jane O'Brien co-authors occupational therapy textbook

Jane O’Brien, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of New England, is co-author of the new third edition of Introduction to Occupational Therapy, published by Elsevier press.

O’Brien is graduate and research coordinator in the UNE Department of Occupational Therapy where she teaches primarily in the area of pediatrics and research.

The new book - which O'Brien co-authored with Susan Hussey, MS, OTR, professor and program coordinator of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Sacramento City College, and Barbara Sabonis-Chafee, MS, OTR - provides an overview of the profession and the practice of occupational therapy. The new edition offers updated information on adult, geriatric, pediatric, and mental health practice, as well as information on emerging practice areas and models of practice and frames of reference.

O'Brien also authored the accompanying Instructor’s Manual: Introduction to Occupational Therapy  text as well. Both texts feature UNE students and faculty children throughout.

O'Brien earned her Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina in exercise science with a concentration in neurobehavioral basis of motor control and her  M.S.O.T., Sargent College of Allied Health at Boston University. She has also studied at the University of Salzburg.

She has published articles and book chapters in the areas of play and playfulness, assistive technology, reaction time in children with developmental coordination disorder, and most recently on motor control issues of children and their families.  She is co-editor with Jean Solomon, MS, OTR/L, professor of biology at Trident Technical College, of Pediatric Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistants (2nd ed., 2006).

(Press release posted May 29, 2007)