Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Analysis Of Non-Kinship Foster Parent Training Needs And Their Support Of Foster Youth: An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Mackenzie King, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Amy Paul-Ward

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster discusses the training needs of non-kinship foster parents and how they support the youth in their care. A quantitative survey was used to find relationships between experience fostering and foster parent preparedness or desire for additional training. The survey also included a section for participants to write down their training needs; themes from this question are found on the poster. The poster further discusses future recommendations and implications for OT practice in working with this population.

A Occupational Therapy Guidebook For Teachers On Sensory Processing And Sensory Integration, Kaitlyn Stanley, Keisa Boykin, Heidi Woolley

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with sensory processing (SP) challenges find simple classroom tasks overwhelming and can present with deficits in behavior management, emotional regulation, and occupations due to the inability to self-regulate the sensory input from their environment. In addition, deficits in SP may impact a child's ability to maintain engagement and participation in the learning process. If these SP needs are not met through the school, the child lacks the adequate tools to be successful in learning, which is considered occupational injustice (AOTA, 2020). By providing teachers with the adequate educational tools to understand sensory processing and sensory integration (SP-SI), identify and …

Advocating For The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Burn Population, Jordan Faircloth, Keisa Boykin

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

In 2018, around 450,000 individuals in the United States (U.S.) suffered from severe burn injuries (ABA, 2018). The largest burn center in the U.S. is the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital, located in Augusta, Georgia. This location is where the capstone experience was completed. Individuals who suffer from severe burns are at risk for developing contractures. Scar contractures can impact an individual during ADL participation, limiting their independence and causing a disruption in daily routine, habits, and roles (Oosterwijk et al., 2017). Five main components of scar management focus on compression gear, sun protection, appropriate positioning/splinting to …

Building Resilience To Treat Trauma And Improve Social Participation With Youth In Foster Care, Rachel Greene, Keisa Boykin, Dana Madalon

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Childhood trauma is classified by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that caused the trauma. An ACE is a traumatic event that an individual has observed from birth to 18 years old (Atchison & Suarez, 2021). ACEs include but are not limited to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and neglect. ACEs also include household dysfunctions such as domestic violence, divorce, incarceration of family, substance abuse, food scarcity, poverty, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Building resilience promotes healthy coping skills, the ability to trust and engage with support systems, and the prevention of retraumatization (Bethell et al., 2017). Trauma and resiliency are invertedly related, …

Advocating And Educating The Role Of Occupational Therapy For Adaptive Swim Lessons Among Children With Autism, Charlotte Leonard, Zeida Gutierrez, Jon Edenfield

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5-14 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). Children with autism are 160x more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers (Autism Society of Florida, n.d.). Many parents and caregivers put protective layers in place such as locks, gates, and fencing. However, children with autism are known to wander from safe spaces. According to the Autism Society of Florida (n.d.) children with autism are naturally drawn to water due to its ability to ease sensory needs. Brenner …

An Occupational Therapy Assessment Guide For People With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Cynthia Sakian, Steven M. Gerardi

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster presents development of an occupational therapy assessment guide tailored for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder. Motivated by the lack of standardized assessment protocols in the field, the initiative seeks to mitigate inconsistencies among occupational therapy practitioners and propel advancements in treatment. Key objectives include a comprehensive review of pertinent literature on occupational therapy and posttraumatic stress disorder, identification of functional impairments associated with the disorder, and the formulation of an assessment framework. Rooted in the Model of Human Occupation, the guide underscores the significance of volition, habituation, performance capacity, and environmental influences, accommodating individual preferences and disruptions while …

Community Reintegration Of Formerly Incarcerated Persons: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Shauntrice Woodberry, Angela Labrie Blackwell Phd, Otr, Steven Gerardi Phd, Otr

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The recidivism rates in the US are the highest, as the current research suggests the majority of offenders (two-thirds) released from prison in any given year will be reincarcerated within three years (Eggers et al., 2006). The high rates of recidivism suggest that the criminal justice system has not been able to successfully identify the needs of incarcerated individuals necessary to support the success of their community integration process.

Since there are no published guidelines available to OT practitioners to guide their provision of community reintegration services to formerly incarcerated persons, the product of this capstone was a guidebook.

Music As A Therapeutic Medium In Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review, Kevin Leon, Steven M. Gerardi, Angela Blackwell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Music has been recognized as having therapeutic properties for people with a range of conditions and is the focus of the music therapy profession. Although occupational therapy (OT) has used music as therapeutic medium, the limited literature on the use of music in OT has not been systematically reviewed, making it difficult for OT practitioners to frame the use of music in their practices. The objective of this review was to identify how OT practitioners have reported they have used music as a therapeutic medium in OT practice. This review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses …

Leisure Exploration For Individuals Recovering From Substance Use Disorder, Laura Head, Susan Macdermott Otd, Otr/L

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder often report feeling the desire to fill their time with meaning and that time they spent misusing substances was unfulfilling. This poster provides background on what a substance use disorder is and the effects it may have on a person's life. It also dives into the methods used to create, propose, and implement a creative expression group for homeless transitional-aged youth, 18-25, and an exercise group for individuals in recovery from SUD. Finally, this poster discusses the implications of implementing and maintaining programs occupational therapist lead programs in community mental health settings.

Occupational Therapy's Role In Providing Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender And Gender Diverse Individuals, Anna Rhodes, Mary A. Smith, Kristin Willey

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

There is limited information, education, and training available on providing care for the transgender and gender-diverse population, and many healthcare providers lack the specific knowledge needed to provide adequate, culturally competent care. A needs assessment was conducted to better understand what healthcare practitioners wanted to know regarding this topic, as well as what trans and gender-diverse individuals wanted their healthcare practitioners to know about their care. This needs assessment was anonymous and answers were not published. The responses were analyzed by the author to identify themes and develop learning objectives for the creation of educational materials. Five educational modules were …

Supporting Oaxacan Youth Mental Health, Academic Achievement, And Cultural Connection, Itahi Arteaga, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga, Rebecca Heymann

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Oaxacan Indigenous youth in the U.S. experience generational, cultural, and social conflicts that impact their participation, performance, and well-being, yet there are no occupation-based programs that address their mental health, academic achievement, and cultural connection In San Diego.

The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a culturally-informed occupational therapy program for Oaxacan indigenous youth that will motivate and provide the skills needed to navigate different cultures while encouraging belonging.

Addressing Psychosocial Client Factors In People With Cancer: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook, Hannah Marlette

Student Capstone Papers

People with cancer experience a variety of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial impacts that affect their quality of life, occupational performance, and occupational engagement. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are well-equipped to address these impacts, however, OT is an underused service in the cancer population, resulting in a limited amount of literature addressing OT interventions in cancer care. OT interventions in the literature are focused on addressing an individual’s physical client factors. The focus on physical client factors is causing people with cancer to report that their psychosocial client factors are not being addressed. The literature demonstrates that OT practitioners do not …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners In The Care Of Pets And Animals: A Guide To Aging In Place With Pets And Animals, Blake Randell, Mary Jan Greer, Sherry Pidgeon

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project explored the role of occupational therapy practitioners in the care of pets and animals among older adults which has been referred to as the forgotten instrumental activity of daily living (or IADL) for this population. A needs assessment was conducted to determine how to provide facilitators and remove barriers or hindrances to occupational performance in the care of pets and animals among a group of older adults (with a variety of disability- and non-disability-related needs) in independent living communities. This needs assessment identified compounding health disparities of physical and/or cognitive impairments and lack of financial and necessary …

Educating On The Impact Of Gravitational Insecurity In Children With Sensory Processing Disorder, Amber Pierce, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton, Elizabeth Mcbride

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Gravitational insecurity impacts 15-21% of children with sensory processing disorder, yet little to no research is available on the topic. Therefore, a program was created to provide education to therapists and therapy students in order to better provide education on the topic to others.

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis: Exploring Key Constructs That Facilitate The Transition Of Homeless Individuals To Sheltered Living Conditions, Natasha Hinson, Karen Aranha, Mary Ann Smith

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

PURPOSE: to understand the processes that homeless individuals experience when taking action to seek shelter and move into sheltered living conditions.

DESIGN: This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) utilized a purposive homogeneous sample (n=9) of formerly homeless individuals. Inclusion criteria: experience of homelessness, >30 yrs. old, 2.5 yrs. living in supportive housing, English-speaking, and > 23 on the MMSE.

METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were analyzed through open-line coding, memo-ing, and data categorization to form themes.

RESULTS: The following superordinate themes emerged: path to homelessness, life on the streets, tipping point to sheltered lifestyle, connecting with lifelines, and life with Faith-based organization (FBO).

CONCLUSION: …

Designing A Conceptual Framework To Align Learning Objectives To The Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies: A Narrative Review, Norman C. Belleza, Maureen E. Johnson

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction: Early placement of interprofessional education (IPE) in academic curricula may foster foundational learning to shape student attitudes, knowledge, and skills and better prepare practice-ready clinicians for future team-based collaboration. The purpose of this narrative review was to investigate and analyze the current use of IPE in OT and PT higher education.

Methods: Three databases, Academic Search Complete, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ERIC, were searched from 2017 to 2022. Inclusion criteria were articles with full text availability, published within the 5 year search time range from the time of the narrative review process, peer reviewed studies, …

Supporting Motor, Cognitive, And Psychosocial Functions For Children And Youth With Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review, Quandra Shanks, Angela Labrie Blackwell

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Acquired brain injury (ABI) refers to an injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma (Brain Injury Association [BIA], 2023). ABI is an umbrella term for all brain injuries, typically classified as traumatic (e.g., sports injury, fall) or non-traumatic (e.g., stroke, infection) (Wales et al., 2021). It is considered one of the leading causes of death and disability for individuals of all ages (Riccardi & Lundine, 2022). The BIA (2023) reports that ages 0-4 and 15-19 are at greater risk for brain injury. The severity of ABI among pediatrics is more severe than …

Development Of An Occupation-Based Program For Hispanic Women With Breast Cancer, Tara Licon, Leslie Khan-Farooqi, Mary Ann Smith

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Currently, available programs for breast cancer patients do not consider the specific needs of Hispanic women or their preferred occupations. The goal of the capstone project was to develop an occupational therapy (OT) program that is personalized to Hispanic women with breast cancer at every stage of their recovery. The program was informed by lifestyle redesign. After reviewing the literature and conducting a needs assessment the capstone student created a program titled ‘Beautiful, Bold, Breast Cancer’ which contains five detailed treatment sessions.

Past, Present, And Projected Occupational Impacts Of Adults Who Experienced Parentification In Childhood, Olivia Vanni, Jazminne Orozco-Arteaga

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Parentification is a functional and/or emotional role reversal where the child sacrifices their own needs for attention, comfort, and guidance in order to accommodate and care for the needs of a parent and/or sibling. OTs need an understanding of how to recognize and support the impact of parentification during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Methods: Mixed methods were used to explore the experience of adults (18-65) that served as caregivers for their sibling(s), and/or their parent(s) during their childhood/adolescence. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires (N=20) and interviews (n=6), allowing for a deeper understanding of the …

Guidebook For Occupational Therapy For End-Of-Life Care, Shannon Sudrla, Mary Smith, Alexandria Cannata, Anna Norene Carlson

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Patients at the end-of-life (EoL) experience functional decline in response to terminal illness and the active dying process, inhibiting participation and engagement in meaningful daily activities. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) are equipped to address patients’ occupational needs and desires despite their declining capacities; however, the absence of occupational therapy (OT) services in EoL care leaves patients’ occupational needs unmet, directly affecting their quality of life. The literature demonstrates the need for enhanced education and training among occupational therapy students (OTS) and practitioners to better prepare them to work with terminally ill patients who face progressive functional decline and imminent death. …

A Mindfulness Intervention For Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Ashley N. Ries, Steven M. Gerardi Phd, Otd, Mss, Otr, Mary Horne Lcsw

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Every day, many United States veterans are suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Responses to trauma may vary from person to person; however, a diagnosis of PTSD includes the individual experiencing clinically significant distress in their social and occupational areas of functioning. The impact of PTSD on a veteran’s life could impact their ability to carry out activities of daily living, decrease the amount of social participation they have, and limit their ability to perform instrumental daily activities, such as grocery shopping. Mindfulness is the practice of paying full attention to the present moment, without judgment, and …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Mealtime Participation In Schools, Jaidee Mae Reyes, Karen Park

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

A mixed-methods research design was utilized to explore the role of occupational therapy in mealtime participation in school-based settings. Interviews and surveys were completed to understand occupational therapy practicers' perceptions, attitudes, and experiences with providing services related to mealtime. The themes that emerged from the study including (a) occupational therapy practitioners experience inhibiting and supporting contextual factors that affect their involvement in mealtime, (b) admin and occupational therapy culture and the interpretation of educational relevance can differ between each school, and (c) occupational therapy practitioners go through a decision-making process when deciding to address mealtime.

Cultural Humility When Caring For Lgbtqia+ Older Adults: A Resource Guide For Occupational Therapy Practitioners And Students, Michele Ramos, Deb Meyers, Mary Ann Smith

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The LGBTQIA+ older adult population has unique needs due to their experience as diverse individuals in a cisgender, heteronormative society. Experiences and effects of discrimination need to be considered when providing care. Occupational therapists have a role in addressing disparities of all marginalized groups, including LGBTQIA+ older adults. Practitioners may utilize cultural humility and trauma-informed practices when treating the LGBTQIA+ population. Existing resources to guide culturally humble occupational therapy care for LGBTQIA+ older adults are insufficient. The purpose of this project was to build on existing cultural humble resources and create a website on the focus of occupational therapy cultural …

Examining The Utility Of The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (Copm) Vs. Cognitive Mapping And Motivational Interviewing (Cm/Mi) To Provide Person-Centered Care (Pcc) For People With Parkinson’S Disease (Pwpd), Mary Lagasca, Karen Aranha

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) limits occupational engagement and quality of life. Clinicians need tools to help understand the lived experiences of people with PD to provide more person-centered care (PCC). The Canadian Occupational Performance Model (COPM) is one tool used with this population, but its predetermined categories may be limiting. In contrast, Cognitive Mapping and Motivational Interviewing (CM/MI) is a non-standardized method that may provide more insight. Objective: To identify the benefits of the COPM to CM/MI in delivering more person-centered care (PCC). Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological self-study was used. Data collection compared the assessments and reflected on determining if …

Disability Advocacy In Fashion Design, Erin Higinbotham, Susan Macdermott Otd, Otr/L

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Originally marketed towards older adults followed by children, adaptive fashion greatly impacts the everyday independence of all disabled people. Utilizing the Person-Environment-Occupation model and understanding the relationship between the disabled community, clothing, and occupational participation and again with the fashion company, the designer, and their fulfillment of a need or gap in accessibility lead to the purpose of this capstone of identifying occupational therapy’s role in designing ready-to-wear adaptive clothing through understanding and bridging the gaps in fashion education for designers. To address this, advocacy in education and educational materials were created to fill this gap and promote accessibility and …

Analysis Of Firefighters’ Psychological Trauma And Interrupted Domains, Alyssa Garcia, Pamela Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Kristian Llaca

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Firefighters are at a high risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression (Teoh et al., 2019), suicidality, substance abuse (Bing-Canar et al., 2019), and burnout (Teoh et al., 2019). Firefighters are regularly exposed to traumatic events on calls which results in their decreased mental health; and associated decreased participation in meaningful occupations, routines, and roles (Edgelow & Cramm, 2020; Edgelow et al., 2021; Wittwer et al., 2021). This project contains both research and a program. The purpose of this research was to understand how firefighter demographics interact with interrupted occupations, routines, and roles and at what frequency when faced with …

An Occupational Therapy Approach To Promote Body Positivity In Middle School Aged Youth, Janis Galindez, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Middle school aged children are in a vulnerable developmental period that pose challenges toward maintaining a positive body image. Consequently, body image can be a mental health concern that can lead to a decrease in occupational performance in education, leisure, and social participation.

School settings currently do not have the appropriate resources or mental health initiatives to address occupational performance problems related to body image with middle school aged youth. However, occupational therapists (OTs) have the potential to provide mental health services to address body image in school and community settings that promote skills needed for meaningful participation in education, …

An Occupational Therapy Approach To Play For Pediatric Cancer Patients, Michelle Erika Dytan, Karen Park

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Play as an occupation has been long identified as a primary aspect of a child’s life (Moore & Lynch, 2017). Play provides children with ways to explore the world while learning skills to improve critical thinking, creativity, and positive self-esteem, and simply to have fun (Guirguis, 2018; Yanof, 2019). Children with cancer face barriers that limit their ability to engage in play, with negative consequences to their social, cognitive, and emotional development (Nijhof et al., 2018). There is an evident gap in a lack of play opportunities in community-based settings, which may limit a child’s personal development, social skills, and …

Occupational Therapists’ Role In Educating Caregivers On Pediatric Sensory Interventions Guided By Neurodiversity Principles, Deanna Bourgeois

Student Capstone Papers

Background: Neurodivergent children often experience differences in sensory processing and self-regulation. Traditional sensory-based interventions are frequently used by occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) and caregivers to address dysregulation. However, sensory-based interventions, while often strengths-based, are not always neurodiversity-affirming.

Problem: There are minimal educational resources available to both OTP and caregivers that promote neurodiversity-affirming sensory interventions to support neurodivergent children.

Methods: The purpose of this project was to create self-paced educational modules to teach neurodiversity-affirming sensory interventions that promote children's self-regulation. To achieve this goal, the student investigator developed virtual educational modules and piloted them with OTP, occupational therapy …

Adaptive Sports Equipment: A Resource For Clinicians, Coaches, & Athletes, Allison Chown, Steven M. Gerardi, Christopher Ebner

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

About 61 million adults who live in the United States (US) have a disability, which equates to about one in four adults in the US (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Unfortunately, only one out of every ten people who need assistive technology (AT) have access to the proper equipment, with lack of awareness of the devices being one of the causes (World Health Organization [WHO], 2018). It has been noted in literature that a lack of awareness exists amongst clinicians, coaches, & athletes regarding available adaptive equipment (AE) to support participation in adaptive sports ([AS] Bergem, 2020). …