Virginia Wright, PhD

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Research

Centre for Leadership:
Child Development

Research Focus:

Dr. Wright focuses on developming and validating outcome measures, as well as the effectiveness of interventions in pediatric rehabilitation. Includes gross motor measures, quality of movement, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, prosthetics, and life satisfaction.

Research/Trainee/Volunteer Opportunities:
Please visit the SPARK Lab's Work with Us page for information about current opportunities.

Education & Profession

Education:

• Ph.D., Health Research Methodology, McMaster University
• M.Sc., Design, Measurement and Evaluation, McMaster University
• B.Sc. (Physical Therapy), University of Toronto

Professional Memberships:

• Member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association

University Positions / Affiliations:

• Associate Professor (status), Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto
• Assistant Professor (part-time), School of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton.

Honours and Awards:

• Bloorview Children's Hospital Foundation Chair in Paediatric Rehabilitation, 2012 - 2017
• Ann Collins Whitmore Award ($1000) as the top Canadian University research paper for 2010/1011 for: “Refining the response scale of the ABI Challenge module to enhance its ability to measure change in children and youth with an ABI.” The finalist competition was held at Canadian Physiotherapy Association Congress, May 2012. (V Wright as clinical research supervisor).
• Macarthur C, Venkatesh S, Warren D, Doerr T, Pringle D. Research and Program Evaluation Course. MScPT degree. Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto.
• Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Career Development Award (2007 - 2011)
• 2008 Exceptional Achievement Award (Research). Department of Physical Therapy. University of Toronto.

Innovation

Assessment Measures Developed:

1. Challenge Module.  A measure of advanced motor skills for children with cerebral palsy (CP).
2. Acquired Brain Injury Challenge Assessment (ABI-CA).
3. Quality Function Measure (QFM) for ambulatory children with CP.
4. Prosthetic Upper Extremity Functional Status Index (PUFI).
5. Juvenile Arthritis Functional Status Index (JASI).
6. Barefoot Gait Assessment (BGA) for ambulatory children with CP. 

Current Projects

• Feelings About Balance
• Feelings About Balance

Appointments at Holland Bloorview

• Evaluating current questionnaires of client and caregiver involvement in appointments
• Ratings of experiences in appointments
• What do children and youth/parents think about their appointments at Holland Bloorview?

BeFAST or BeSTRONG

• BeFAST or BeSTRONG

BeFAST Study

• Brain change after Fun Athletic Sports-skill Training (BeFAST)

Concussion Assessment and Evaluation

• Establishing cut-points for the response options of the HeadsUP Test, a new measure for use with youth post-concussion
• The Heads Up Test Project: Development of the items for an advance motor skill test for youth who have had a concussion

Concussion Baseline Testing Study

• 'NeuroCare' as an Innovation in Intervention: A Neurophysiological Approach to Determine Readiness for Return to Activity

Concussion Management and Rehabilitation

• Development of The Daily Activity Log for Children with Concussion

Feelings about balance (parents)

• Feelings About Balance

Implications for Physical Rehabilitation

• Therapists’ Beliefs Regarding the Value of Walking: Implications for Physical Rehabilitation with Children with Cerebral Palsy

Life satisfaction

• The impact of personal, interpersonal and environmental factors on changes in quality of life for youth with chronic conditions

Lokomat intervention study

• A randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Lokomat (robotics intervention) for enhancement of walking skills, functional abilities and participation in children with cerebral palsy.

Mobility

• How does a ride-on toy power participation in a preschooler?
• Evaluation of a new walking skills test for young children who need support to walk

Paediatric ASPL knee joint

• Development of a Paediatric Automatic Stance Phase Lock (ASPL) knee joint

Physical Skills Measurement

• The Challenge Module for evaluating advanced motor skills of children with cerebral palsy (CP)

The Adult Low Cost (LC) Knee

• The adult LC Knee: development and clinical testing of an artificial knee joint for lower-limb amputations.

TimeTogether

• TimeTogether

Publications

Click to see Dr. Wright's Publications in the SPARK Lab.

Contact Info

Contact Information:
Bloorview Research Institute 
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 
150 Kilgour Road Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8 
Tel: 416-424-3824                
Fax: 416-425-1634

Contact Email:
vwright@hollandbloorview.ca