Janice Rocker, MS, OTR/L

Instructor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

Room: CHP 133
Phone: (323) 442-6050
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Biography

Janice Rocker received her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Boston University in 1985, and passed the Hand Therapy Certification exam when it was first offered in 1991. In 2005 she became a Certified Structural Yoga Therapist in order to help her clients manage stress and pain due to injury or degenerative conditions.

Janice has lectured on wound healing, custom static and dynamic orthotic fabrication, ergonomics, physical agent modalities, joint protection, cumulative trauma, body mechanics, and hand/upper extremity rehabilitation. She has been published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. She coordinates the outpatient hand and upper extremity rehabilitation program at the Keck Medical Center of USC.

Education

Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy
Boston University
1985

Bachelor of Science (BS)
Univ Maryland College Park
1980

Publications

Book Chapters

Rocker, J. D. (1996). Affective responses to keeping and not keeping an activity product. In R. Cottrell (Ed.), Perspectives on purposeful activity: Foundation and future of occupational therapy. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Journal Articles

Rocker, J. D. (1988). Promoting occupational therapy by using a simulated hemiplegic arm to demonstrate dressing technique. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 42, 123-126. Abstract →← Abstract

When creating a promotional booth to increase awareness about occupational therapy remember that (a) people learn by participating and (b) positive reinforcement encourages a greater sense of learning. In addition, follow these rules: (a) keep the task simple, (b) eliminate jargon and use nonmedical terms, (c) encourage interaction and reward thoughtful reflections, and (d) make sure that participants leave with some promotional materials in hand. As described here participants acquired a hemiplegic arm and tried to dress. They were immediately rewarded with an occupational therapy sticker. Acting as patients, they experienced visual deficits with a special pair of glasses. The occupational therapist encouraged people to ask questions about dressing and visual deficits and about the display of splints and adaptive equipment. People helped themselves to occupational therapy promotional buttons and literature. They left with a basic understanding of hemiplegia. They also understood how an occupational therapist works with a patient to help the patient regain functional independence.

Rocker, J. D., & Nelson, D. L. (1987). Affective responses to keeping and not keeping an activity product. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 41, 152-157. Abstract →← Abstract

This study examined whether keeping or not keeping the products of a craft activity influences affective meaning and mood. Four groups of undergraduate (n = 23) and graduate (n = 20) students created block-printed stationery. Two groups were allowed to keep their stationery, and two groups were not. The measure of mood changes was the Bipolar Profile of Mood States, which subjects completed before and after the activity. After the activity, subjects also completed the Osgood 12-scale short-form semantic differential, which measured the affective meanings of the activity. Data analysis revealed significant differences between conditions on two out of nine variables. The subjects who could not keep their products became significantly more hostile and significantly more energetic than the subjects who kept their stationery. Implications for occupational therapy theory and further research possibilities are discussed.