Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Breastfeeding As Co-Occupation: Occupational Therapy’S Role In Promoting Health And Well-Being, Lisa Joelle Sutton, Julie D. Kugel, Dragana Krpalek, Arezou Salamat

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Even with efforts to encourage mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months, the majority of women are not able to undertake breastfeeding as the sole means of infant nutrition provision for various reasons. The role of occupational therapists working with mothers who breastfeed is complex and not strongly supported in the literature. Therefore, this qualitative study was designed to examine the role that occupational therapists may engage in supporting mothers and infants in the co-occupation of breastfeeding.

Method: A qualitative phenomenological study design was applied and included 11 occupational therapists working with breastfeeding dyads. The …

Predictors Of General Well-Being In Postprofessional Students Of Occupational Science And Occupational Therapy, Elena Wong Espiritu, Paul E. Yeatts, Cynthia L. Evetts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Doctoral students experience decreased well-being during their educational experience. Self-compassion, engagement in meaningful occupations, and occupational balance positively impact well-being in individuals. This study examined the relationships between these constructs in postprofessional occupational science and occupational therapy students.

Method: This quantitative cross-sectional study collected national survey data (N = 113) using the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form, the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey, the Occupational Balance Questionnaire 11, and the 14-item Scales of General Well-Being. Multiple linear regression analysis determined how well each construct predicted general well-being and the strength of each construct’s relationship compared to other …

Supporting The Well-Being And Engagement Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Sensory Modulation: A Pilot Study, Rebecca Matson, Jo Linforth, Julie Hanna, Vikki Barnes-Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Student well-being is an increasing area of concern within higher education and one of the biggest causes of attrition. This study sought to investigate the potential for sensory modulation strategies as an approach to support student well-being and engagement in studies through an action research project. Sixteen second-year occupational therapy students took part in a two-week trial of items designed to support sensory modulation, following which they were asked to complete an online survey evaluating the effectiveness of the item in relation to affect, regulation, attention, and activity. Eight students completed the survey containing a mix of Likert scale and …

Recommendations For Academic Programs To Best Support Occupational Therapy Students: Student Perspectives, Elena Wong Espiritu, Hanna Mcclain, R. David Phillippi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Declining occupational therapy student mental health and well-being is well described in the literature. However, there is a lack of literature describing recommendations from the student perspective that could help academic programs as they develop and implement support programming. Involving students in the process can be beneficial as they are experts in their experiences. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe recommendations current occupational therapy students had for their academic programs to best support them during their educational experience. The study sample consisted of 628 entry-level masters and doctoral occupational therapy students from 31 states. Participant responses …