Ph.D. Dissertation: Appraisal, performance social and physical supports as mediators in a model of adjustment to physical disability.

Sample of publications: (# stands for student's study)

Schreuer, N., Rimmerman, A., & Sachs, D., (2006). Adjustment to severe disability: Constructing and examining a cognitive and occupational performance model. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 29(3), 201-207.

Schreuer, N., (2009). Accommodations outcomes and the ICF framework. Assistive Technology, 21 (2), 94-104.

Sachs, D., and Schreuer, N., (2011). Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Performance and participation in student's experiences, Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ), 31(2). (Open access, 16 pp.) Available at: http://dsq-sds.org/issue/view/82.

Schreuer, N., Sachs, D., and Rosenblum S., (2013). Participation in leisure activities: differences between children with and without

physical disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35, 223-233.

Schreuer, N., and Sachs, D., (2014). Efficacy of accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(1), 27-40.

Danial-Saad, A. # Kuflik, T. Weiss, P.L. & Schreuer, N. (2015). Usability of clinical decision support system as a facilitator for learning the assistive technology adaptation process, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 23:1-7.

Lubani K. # Schreuer, N., & Milman U., (2016). Participation in daily activities among working women following breast cancer. Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 4, 150-162.

Schreuer N (2016). The Use and Appraisal of Home Modifications by Older Adults. Journal of Ergonomics 6 (3), 2165-7556

Schreuer, N., & Dorot, R.# (2017). Experiences of employed women with attention deficit hyperactive disorder: A phenomenological study. Work: the Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 56(3), 429-441.

Miller-Shahabar, I. #, Schreuer N., Katsevman, H., Bernfeld, B., Cons A. Raisman, Y. and Milman U., Efficacy of Compression Gloves in the Rehabilitation of Distal Radius Fractures: Randomized Controlled Study. The American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 97(12), 904-910.‏  

Weissman Nitsan, M., # Schreuer, N., & Gal, E. (2018). Employers' Perspectives Regarding Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Management & Organization, 1-18.

Shoshani S., # & Schreuer, N., (2019). Toilet training of preschoolers with disabilities: The perspectives of teacher aides. Neurourology and Urodynamics Journal. 38(6):1640-1647.

‏Schreuer, N., Sachs, D., Golan, L., & Plaut, P., (2019). Walkable Neighborhoods: The link between public health, urban design, and transportation. Journal of Transport & Health 15, 100630

Kizony, R., Schreuer, N., Rotenberg, S., Plaut, P., Shach-Pinsly, D., Participation in out-of- home activities among older adults: the role of mobility behaviours and attitudes. Accepted on April, 2020 to the Journal of Transport & Health

Ivzory, Y., # Sachs, D., Reiter, S., Schreuer, N., (2020) Transition to Employment Program (SUPER) for Youth at Risk: A Conceptual and Practical Model. the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 3904

Summary of Research and Professional Experience and Interests

My academic research, publications and teaching are based on my original clinical expertise in occupational therapy which now approaches 34 years. This experience, now informed by a series of scientific studies, had led to research categorized into three major themes encompassing both theory and practical applications: (1) Environmental adaptations, accessibility and assistive technology as facilitators for participation; (2) Ergonomics and rehabilitation of diverse populations in educational and work settings; and (3) Participation of people in meaningful occupations. In all of these areas, I focus primarily on research related to the interaction between participation of people and the physical, technological and social aspects of their environments. In particular, I focus on the study of what make environments and services accessible for people with disabilities as well as for other vulnerable population (e.g., older adults, youth at risk, new immigrants).

In recognition for my major contributions to the development of the three themes nationwide (environmental adaptations, ergonomics and participation) of people in meaningful occupations, both academically and clinically, I was presented with the 2004 Annual Excellency Award from the Israeli Society of Occupational Therapists. Since then I have influenced policy and action in Israel (e.g. the computer to every child initiative, revolution in high education; transition to employment programs in high schools, school accessibility). Throughout this period I have being active in many roles in the Israeli Society of Occupational Therapy and other national professional committees and assumed a nominated position in the advisory board for the Ministry of Education. Nationally, I am known for my expertise and for involving and supervising many occupational therapists in various studies, both in Haifa and at other academic and clinical settings. In addition, stemming from my strong belief in identifying and providing opportunities, shortly after the legislation of the accessibility amendment, I have acquired one of the first licenses and established a national course for authorizing service accessibility experts for therapists, together with the Department of Architecture of Wizo Academic College, in Haifa.

     It is my honor to work at the University of Haifa with its focus on multicultural diversity and co-existence and affording opportunities to those who live beyond the center of Israel. I bring this ideology to all of my action and research projects and in supervising and empowering occupational therapy students and graduates. For example, my study of the environment as facilitator or barrier for participation and involvement in occupations was implemented for adults with disabilities as perceived by four diverse groups: including those from Jewish, Arabic, new Russian immigrants, and adults with severe hearing impairment. My project on the current transition to employment, successfully applied in Jewish schools, has now been implemented, with full translation in Arabic speaking Druze schools as well as in the Education System in Chicago (Illinois). These days I launch a three years ergonomic project to empower the “transparent” group of cleaning staff at the University of Haifa, supported by “Manof” Israeli fund. 

In addition I had the opportunity to serve (years 2016-2019) as the elected chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences at the University of Haifa, a joint program with the Technion (Haifa, Israel). Within this position I was in charge of four programs (PhD; M.A. & B.A), with culturally diverse students, where the graduate program includes two programs, one at an ultra-orthodox community Bnei-Brak.

Clinical expertiese

My professional reputation has been recognized by few important committees that will likely lead to policy changes and cooperative research projects in the future: (1) Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Labor – accessibility of post-secondary professional courses; (2) The funds for developing services for people with disabilities – the Israeli National Insurance Institution; (3) Commission for Equality for People with Disability- Regulations for accessible high education; (4) Dorot- Eshel, JOINT, Jerusalem - Accessible Environments for the Elderly; (5) The Employee’s Health committee – Ministry of Health.

It opened some opportunities for developing new action and research initiatives, for example: (1) establishing the professional founding of five "Karten Centers" around Israel, which evaluate and adapt computers and assistive technology (AT) for people with disability. I have trained and consulted many novice clinicians in providing AT. This allowed me to be involved in several follow up research projects that enabled me to establish and validate a model of outcome measures for AT adaptation (article # 10) that was recognized by Prof. M. Scherer a world-renowned researcher and theoretician in the AT field; (2) as an expert in ergonomics and rehabilitation in educational and work settings, I was invited by the Ministry of Industry, commerce & Labor to consult their professional education unit in regard to the accessibility of their courses. Since then I manage few projects regarding to transition to employment for various populations and was asked recently by the management of University of Haifa to write a grant proposal for an ergonomic prevention program among the cleaning workers at University of Haifa. In addition, I have been invited by the Israeli National Insurance to present in front their committee about considering adding a functional OT evaluation to the medical board that determines disability level.