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Occupational Therapy Commons

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Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Diversity

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Occupational Therapy

Understanding Occupational Therapy Admissions Decisions Related To Diversity, Bridget J. Hahn, Hillary Napier, June Park, Abigail Woollacott, Rachel Lee, Linda M. Olson Jan 2023

Understanding Occupational Therapy Admissions Decisions Related To Diversity, Bridget J. Hahn, Hillary Napier, June Park, Abigail Woollacott, Rachel Lee, Linda M. Olson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The vast majority of occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are white, leaving gaps between the representation of our profession and those we serve. Admission practices determine the future of the profession. This cross-sectional study aimed to understand how admission requirements, particularly the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and interview, influenced OT graduate students' application decisions, specifically those who identified as a first-generation college student (FGCS), underrepresented minority, English as a second language, or receiving public assistance. Methods included an online survey distributed to current OT graduate students. The survey consisted of background information, closed-ended questions on influence of application requirements, open-ended questions …


Generative Disruptive Questions: Operationalizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, And Accessibility In Occupational Therapy Education, Jaime P. Muñoz, Catherine Hoyt, Razan Hamed, Arameh Anvarizadeh, Steven D. Taff Jan 2023

Generative Disruptive Questions: Operationalizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, And Accessibility In Occupational Therapy Education, Jaime P. Muñoz, Catherine Hoyt, Razan Hamed, Arameh Anvarizadeh, Steven D. Taff

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of five pillars upholding the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) strategic plan. Ensuring organizational, educational and governance structures, policies, programs, and services all reflect diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) is a priority for the profession. Yet, addressing DEIJA remains a significant challenge in the occupational therapy academic community. Educational programs are a gateway to the profession and play a critical role in whether minoritized persons feel they belong in occupational therapy. This paper proposes a set of Generative Disruptive Questions (GDQ) that can be used to critically examine practices within education that …


Finding A Voice: Overcoming Shame Through A Classroom Collective Exploration Of Vulnerability, Mary Catherine Lockmiller, Amy Armstrong-Heimsoth Jan 2022

Finding A Voice: Overcoming Shame Through A Classroom Collective Exploration Of Vulnerability, Mary Catherine Lockmiller, Amy Armstrong-Heimsoth

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In keeping with the call for greater justice and diversity within the occupational therapy profession, many educational programs are taking steps to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across their curriculum. In this paper, we will introduce the theoretical concepts underpinning the first assignment in a DEI curriculum thread in one entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) program, grounding it in critical pedagogy and exploring how it provides a first step to critical aptitude by providing space for an open-ended, reflexive dialogue about subjective experiences of internalized shame and marginalization. Students learn how to practice self awareness, understand shame culture, and …


Exploring The Experiences Of Black/African American Students In Entry Level Occupational Therapy And Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs: A Survey Study, Riqiea F. Kitchens, Amber B. Armstead, Karthik Mani, Lima Ghulmi, Diane M. Collins Jan 2022

Exploring The Experiences Of Black/African American Students In Entry Level Occupational Therapy And Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs: A Survey Study, Riqiea F. Kitchens, Amber B. Armstead, Karthik Mani, Lima Ghulmi, Diane M. Collins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Black/African American students account for 6.5% of the enrollment in entry-level occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs (AOTA, 2019). OT and OTA programs serve as the entry point to increasing diversity in the profession and contribute to a diverse healthcare workforce. Limited research exists that offers insight into the experiences of minority students enrolled in OT and OTA programs. The purpose of this study was to explore the academic experiences of Black/African American students enrolled in entry-level OT and OTA programs to identify supports and barriers in the educational experience. Eligible participants were asked to complete an …


Factors Influencing The Diversity Of Occupational Therapy Students, Donna Colaianni, Grace Tovar, Dominique Wilson, Heidi Zapanta Jan 2022

Factors Influencing The Diversity Of Occupational Therapy Students, Donna Colaianni, Grace Tovar, Dominique Wilson, Heidi Zapanta

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The gender, ethnic, and racial diversity of occupational therapy professionals does not represent the diversity found in the population, and thus does not represent the diversity found in our patients and clients. In order to carry out the American Occupational Therapy Association’s vision to create a diverse workforce able to meet the needs of society, this study examined the factors influencing occupational therapy students’ choice of occupational therapy as a career using a survey. 538 participants responded to the survey. Results identify both influential factors and barriers to students pursuing occupational therapy as a career and have implications for diversifying …


Designing An Educational Program To Promote Diversity And Student Engagement In Professional Advocacy (Sepa), Jessica Alden, Lynda Hill, Felecia Moore Banks, Ronan Connolly, Julius Ngwa Jan 2021

Designing An Educational Program To Promote Diversity And Student Engagement In Professional Advocacy (Sepa), Jessica Alden, Lynda Hill, Felecia Moore Banks, Ronan Connolly, Julius Ngwa

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Little is understood about best educational strategies to engage diverse occupational therapy students in professional advocacy. The purpose of this research was to use design-based research (DBR) methods to design a novel educational intervention to promote professional engagement of diverse students over three subsequent years. This study used a pre/post design to design, implement, evaluate, and revise an educational program entitled “Student Engagement in Professional Advocacy” (SEPA). This manuscript reports on the first year of that study. The participants (N=27) were entry-level Master of Science occupational therapy students. The outcome measure was a survey measuring student knowledge, attitude, and participation …


Social And Cultural Concepts Module: Curricula To Foster Cultural Responsiveness, Elizabeth Ching, Elsa Contreras, Precious Dimalanta, Linda Duran, Robert Freeman, Ursula Hawe, Susannah Hong, Wilton Ramos Jan 2019

Social And Cultural Concepts Module: Curricula To Foster Cultural Responsiveness, Elizabeth Ching, Elsa Contreras, Precious Dimalanta, Linda Duran, Robert Freeman, Ursula Hawe, Susannah Hong, Wilton Ramos

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The lack of racial diversity in the occupational therapy profession as well as its educational programs are obstacles in providing culturally responsive care to serve all people, populations, and communities. Research has shown that student engagement in case studies, activities that emphasize exposure to diverse populations, reflective journaling, and interviewing someone from a different culture are effective in developing practitioners who are more culturally responsive. Students from one culturally diverse occupational therapy program took a nine-hour Social and Cultural Concepts Module (SCCM) that incorporated best practice pedagogy for teaching cultural responsiveness. A one group pretest-posttest design was utilized to explore …