Prof. Dr. Schirin Akhbari Ziegler

Personal profile

Management role

Head, Head of Master Programme for peadiatric Physiotherapy ad int.

Position at the ZHAW

Head of Master Programme for Paediatric Physiotherapy

www.zhaw.ch/de/gesundheit/studium/masterstudium/master-physiotherapie/schwerpunkte/&

Professional development teaching

COPCA® - hybrid

Expertise and research interests

Paediatric Physiotherapy
Developmental Paediatrics
Evidence based Paediatric Physiotherapy
Assessments Motor Developmenz
ICF-CY
Early Intervention in paediatric physiotherapy

Educational background

School for Physiotherapy Zurich University Hospital 1986-1990
NDT/Bobath
Instructor Sensory Integration (A.J. Ayres)
Supervisor/Coach 2004
MSc Neurorehabilitation Donau-University Krems 2010
PhD (Implementation of COPCA, a family-centred early intervention programme in infant physiotherapy), University of Groningen 2020

Professional milestones

1990 - 1991 Physiotherapist at Zurich University Hospital
1991 - 2002 Physiotherapist for children, Foundation RGZ, Rapperswil
since 2005 Physiotherapist for children, Stäfa
since 2009 Lecturer at University of Applied Sciences (School of Health Professions)
since 2012 Head of Master Programme for Paediatric Physiotherapy

Membership of networks

Kantonalverband Zürich + Glarus
Schweizerischer Physiotherapieverband
Physiotherapia Paediatrica
Swiss Academy of Childhood Disability
European Academy of Childhood Disability

Projects

• Family Outcome of Early Intervention / Project leader / Project ongoing
• Paediatric physical therapy in infants at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders / Project leader / Project completed

Publications

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; de Souza Morais, Rosane Luzia; Magalhães, Lívia; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2023.

  The potential of COPCA's coaching for families with infants with special needs in low- and middle-income countries.

  Frontiers in Pediatrics.

  11(983680).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2023.983680

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Suárez, Ximena,

  2023.

  Reliability, construct validity and completeness of the "Winterthur Observation Protocol" applied to early intervention in pediatric physiotherapy using coaching.

  Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2023.2181724

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2021.

  Familienzentrierte Praxis in der Pädiatrie : PT-Frühintervention bei Säuglingen mit neuromotorischen Funktionsstörungen.

  pt Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten .

  73(9), pp. 46-50.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24304

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Rhein, Michael; Meichtry, André; Wirz, Markus; Hielkema, Tjitske; Hadders‐Algra, Mijna,

  2020.

  The coping with and caring for infants with special needs intervention was associated with improved motor development in preterm infants.

  Acta Paediatrica.

  110(4), pp. 1189-1200.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15619

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders‐Algra, Mijna,

  2020.

  Coaching approaches in early intervention and paediatric rehabilitation.

  Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.

  62(5), pp. 569-574.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14493

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Mitteregger, Elena; Hadders‐Algra, Mijna,

  2019.

  Caregivers' experiences with the new family‐centred paediatric physiotherapy programme COPCA : a qualitative study.

  Child: Care, Health and Development.

  46(1), pp. 28-36.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12722

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Dirks, Tineke; Reinders-Messelink, Heleen A.; Meichtry, André; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2018.

  Changes in therapist actions during a novel pediatric physical therapy program : successes and challenges.

  Pediatric Physical Therapy.

  30(3), pp. 223-230.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0000000000000509

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Dirks, Tineke; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2018.

  Coaching in early physical therapy intervention : the COPCA program as an example of translation of theory into practice.

  Disability and Rehabilitation.

  41(15), pp. 1846-1854.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2018.1448468

• Sonderer, Patrizia; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Gressbach Oertle, Barbara; Meichtry, André; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2017.

  Psychometric properties of a standardized observation protocol to quantify pediatric physical therapy actions.

  Pediatric Physical Therapy.

  29(2), pp. 244-250.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0000000000000398

• Huber, Erika; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Leusch, Martina; Schämann, Astrid,

  2015.

  Entwicklung und Umsetzung einer ICF-basierten Software zur Patientendokumentation als Lernprozessbegleitung in der Physiotherapie-Weiterbildung in der Schweiz.

  Pädagogik der Gesundheitsberufe.

  2(1), pp. 48-55.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2023.

  Familienzentrierte Frühintervention bei Säuglingen mit motorischen Entwicklungsstörungen (COPCA)

  .

  In:

  Jung, Michael; Hager, Marlene, eds.,

  Fallbuch Physiotherape: Pädiatrie.

  München:

  Elsevier.

  pp. 237-250.

• Messerli, Florence; Scheufele, Silke; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2023.

  Zerebralparese GMFCS Level 1

  .

  In:

  Jung, Michael; Hager, Marlene, eds.,

  Fallbuch Physiotherapie: Pädiatrie.

  München:

  Elesevier.

  pp. 89-104.

• Rosenbaum, Peter; Novak-Pavlic, Monika; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2021.

  Early intervention : what about the family?

  .

  In:

  Hadders-Algra, Mijna, ed.,

  Early Detection and Early Intervention in Developmental Motor Disorders.

  London:

  Mac Keith Press.

  pp. 173-184.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; von Rhein, Michael; Meichtry, André; Wirz, Markus; Hielkema, Tjitske; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2022.

  The coping with and caring for infants with special needs intervention was associated with improved motor development in preterm infants [poster].

  In:

  34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) Barcelona, Spain, 18-21 May 2022.

  Winterthur:

  ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25096

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2019.

  Coaching in COPCA : a promising method to enhance family participation and motor development of infants with special needs [poster].

  In:

  31st EACD European Academy of Childhood Disability, Paris, May 23-25 2019.

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-19040

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2019.

  Improve implementation of a novel paediatric therapy programme : taking theories of human behaviour into account [poster].

  In:

  World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress, Geneva, 10-13 May 2019.

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-19039

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2021.

  Den Fokus vom Kind auf die ganze Familie verlagern.

  Physioactive.

  57(1), pp. 11-16.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-22239

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2020.

  Das "Infant Motor Profile" : eine Methode zur Entwicklungsbeurteilung, Planung der Frühintervention und Vorhersage der Entwicklung.

  pädiatrische praxis.

  94(1), pp. 39-49.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-20276

• Hadders-Algra, Mijna; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2018.

  Das Infant Motor Profile.

  Physiotherapie.

  18(6), pp. 20-23.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-4892

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna,

  2018.

  Die Theorie der Selektion neuronaler Gruppen als handlungsleitende Theorie der pädiatrischen Physiotherapie.

  Physiotherapie.

  18(5), pp. 22-24.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-4891

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2017.

  COPing with and CAring for Infant with special Needs (COPCA).

  PP Bulletin.

  35, pp. 30-33.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3515

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Huber, Omega; et al.,

  2012.

  Combining ICF and Clinical Reasoning in a single case documentation [poster].

  In:

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Brülhart, Michèle,

  2022.

  Coaching in early intervention : a promising method to enhance participation of families with an infant with special needs.

  In:

  2nd European Paediatric Physiotherapy Congress (EUPPT 2022), Florence, Italy, 6-8 October 2022.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2022.

  Caregiver coaching in early intervention : the example of COPCA.

  In:

  2nd European Paediatric Physiotherapy Congress (EUPPT 2022), Florence, Italy, 6-8 October 2022.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Brülhart, Michèle,

  2022.

  Coaching in early intervention : a promising method to enhance participation of families with infants with special needs.

  In:

  34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), Barcelona, Spain, 18-21 May 2022.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Graham, Fiona; King, Gillian,

  2022.

  Comparing three coaching approaches in pediatric rehabilitation : contexts, mechanisms and outcomes.

  In:

  34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), Barcelona, Spain, 18-21 May 2022.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2022.

  Frühintervention bei Säuglingen mit neuromotorischen Funktionsstörung und ihre Evidenz.

  In:

  Münchner Symposium Frühförderung, online, 4.-5. März 2022.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2022.

  The coping with and caring for infants with special needs intervention is associated with improved motor development in preterm infants.

  In:

  1 Research Day Swiss Academy of Childhood Disability (SACD), online, 20 January 2022.

  Swiss Academy of Childhood Disability.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2021.

  Caregiver coaching in early intervention - the example of COPCA.

  In:

  International Congress 2021 of Early Detection and Early Intervention in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, virtual, 9-11 September 2021.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin; Hadders-Algra, Mijna; Gelkop, Nava; de Souza Morais, Rosane Luzia,

  2021.

  Coaching in COPCA : a promising approach based on equal partnership.

  In:

  33rd Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), online, 20 May - 10 June 2021.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2019.

  Transitions in infant physiotherapy : towards coaching of families.

  In:

  Developmental changes in paediatric neurodisability, from concepts to diagnostics and therapy, Groningen, 20 - 22 June 2019.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2019.

  Physiotherapeutische Frühintervention und ihre Evidenz.

  In:

  Fachtagung Physiotherapia Paediatrica 2019, Luzern, 23. März 2019.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2015.

  Einblick in die Inhalte der physiotherapeutischen Säuglingsbehandlung mit dem Groningen Observation Protocol.

  In:

  Jahressymposium der SACD, Aarau, 18. November 2015.

  Swiss Academy of Childhood Disability (SACD).

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2014.

  Infant Motor Profile (IMP) : Untersuchungmethode zur Beurteilung der Qualität von motorischem Verhalten von Kindern im Alter von 3-18 Monaten.

  In:

  Fachtagung Physiotherapia Peadiatrica, Luzern, 22. März 2014.

  Physiotherapia Paediatrica.

• Akhbari Ziegler, Schirin,

  2013.

  Specialization in pediatric physical therapy at an academic level in the German-speaking region of Switzerland.

  In:

  3rd European Congress on Physiotherapy Education, Vienna, Austria, 8 -10 November 2012.

  Wolters Kluwer.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0b013e318299d14d

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