Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Sensory Processing Difficulties In Children Born Preterm And The Needs Of Their Families, Shelby J. Buie

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children who are born preterm frequently experience sensory processing difficulties due to their underdeveloped brains and the atypical early sensory experiences that are associated with increased medical needs. These factors impact the development of a child’s sensory system, which ultimately influences how a child participates in daily activities. Having a child born preterm that requires increased medical attention causes stress on the family. Increased stress and a decrease in mental health can disrupt the parent-child bond. This project aimed to provide sensory-based occupational therapy treatment sessions to children who were born preterm to improve their sensory processing skills. Furthermore, the …

Enhancing Participation In Play Through Staff Training At We Rock The Spectrum, Megan Poppens

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone was completed by partnering with We Rock the Spectrum in Franklin, Tennessee. We Rock the Spectrum is an inclusive, sensory-safe play environment for all children. The goal was to provide education, coaching, and practical tips for staff to foster increased inclusion and participation in play. A training manual was created with topics including the impact of play, development, respectful disability language, disability terms and abbreviations, sensory regulation, safety, common misconceptions, pediatric diagnoses, strategies for leading groups, behavior management, and interacting one-on-one with children. The educational resources were used to enhance the staff member’s knowledge, confidence, and skills …

Expanding The Availability Of Adapted Athletics For Youth With Physical Disabilities In Middle Tennessee, Alexandra Hurd

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with ABLE Youth in Nashville, TN. ABLE Youth is a non-profit organization that uses sports as the motivation for children who use wheelchairs to reach their goals of independence. The two main goals of this project were as follows: One, to facilitate the Music City Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, the largest adaptive athletics event in Tennessee, and Two, to expand the variety of sports offered at the monthly Super Sports Saturday events. By the end of this capstone experience, volleyball and lacrosse were introduced to the ABLE youth program participants. Ideas for future …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy For Mothers With Children Who Have Had A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) Stay, Reagan Mclendon, Cynthia Haynes

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This study examined the occupational needs of mothers with a child who required a NICU stay and illustrates the potential roles of occupational therapy for this population.

Toying With Adapted Toys, Joshua King

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

My project is a design for an adapted toy that occupational therapists (OT) can use when working with kids. OTs are people who help others to be able to do daily tasks that they need to do to live their lives. This can look like helping a person who has been injured or has a disability to accomplish tasks like getting dressed or feeding themselves. It can also involve helping school children to improve their writing or to use assistive technology. My project started out as an idea from my mom who is an OT and was using a coffee …

Accommodated Gymnastics Program For Atypically Developing Children, Ashtin Callahan

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Posture Care Management In School Based Settings For Children With Complex Physical Disabilities, Sabrina Rodriguez, Mary Jan Greer, Lee Ann Hoffman

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Posture care management (PCM) is an intervention that helps protect a person’s body through different positions within different contexts. PCM is not a singular direct intervention as each person is different and has different needs. This process is especially important for those who cannot reposition themselves such as children with complex physical disabilities. These children rely mainly for caregivers and school staff this process since home and school are the main places they spend the beginning years of their lives. Therefore, it is important to educate caregivers and school staff on the guidelines of proper PCM to promote health, well-being, …

Effectiveness Of Feeding Therapy Approaches On Consumption And Dietary Variety In Children With Sensory-Based Feeding Challenges, Josie Ash, Kayla Estes, Cecilia Morales, Rachel Mcelroy

Occupational Therapy Evidence Projects

This project was completed in collaboration with Hannah Michlmayer (OTR/L) at Therapy Services for Children in Seattle, Washington. The research team conducted a literature review to investigate the following question: For children ages 3-12 with sensory-based feeding challenges, what are the most effective interventions to improve dietary diversity and/or food acceptance? Evidence indicates that ABA-based interventions are the most studied, followed by video modeling and caregiver/parent training. These approaches demonstrate short-term increases in consumption and dietary variety. Most studies had small sample sizes with minimal long-term follow-up. There is a lack of research on group interventions, the SOS approach, and …

Measuring Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Facilitated In Natural Settings With Young Children, Amie Smith, Deepak Dale, Brinda Saini, Zoe Peters, Amanda Laccone

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

To date, there is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy (OT) services delivered outside in nature. This study explored the benefits of OT intervention in Natural Settings (NS) for children by examining development in the areas of self-regulation, social skills, sensory processing, confidence, and motor skills. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used in this study. Researchers partnered with a local outpatient OT clinic that offers an 8-week outdoor program. Seven children and their parents were recruited and participated in the study. A modified version of the COPM and two BOT-2 subtests, along with a novel log …

Trauma-Informed Care Professional Development For K-12 Educators From An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Sarah Farrance

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

According to SAMHSA, more than 66% of children report that they have experienced at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. The focus of this capstone project was create a trauma-informed care professional development program to equip K-12 educators in traditional school settings so that they can address trauma in their students appropriately and successfully. This was done through understanding, working with, and implementing the Every Moment Counts mental health promotion initiative with the students at Bridges Learning Center in Akron Public Schools.

Homeschool Educators’ Perspectives About Student Needs Within Occupational Therapy Scope Of Practice: A Pilot Study, Susan L. Iliff, Mary T. Hill, Rose White, Aubrey Alexander

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

Homeschool educators (n = 31) were recruited to complete an electronic survey describing their perspectives. Findings indicated that many students had medical/academic needs, and accessed additional services such as occupational therapy (OT). Data analysis of open-ended questions revealed common categories: (a) curricula met or did not meet student needs (b) participants had experience-based, general or no knowledge of OT and (c) most felt homeschooling was a positive experience and expressed that limited resources were available. Further research is warranted to investigate available resources, specific needs, and how to best support students who homeschool.

Measuring Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Facilitated In Natural Settings With Young Children, Amie Smith, Zoe Peters, Brinda Saini, Deepak Dale, Amanda Laccone

Occupational Therapy | Student Research Posters

To date, there is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy (OT) services delivered outside in nature. This study explored the benefits of OT intervention in Natural Settings (NS) for children by examining development in the areas of self-regulation, social skills, sensory processing, confidence, and motor skills. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used in this study. Researchers partnered with a local outpatient OT clinic that offers an 8-week outdoor program. Seven children and their parents were recruited and participated in the study. A modified version of the COPM and two BOT-2 subtests, along with a novel log …

Effective Occupational Therapy Interventions To Decrease Picky Eating In Children: A Systematic Review, Savannah L. Jacobsen, Josie Cox, Alli Bos, Cherokee Ferguson, Stacey Smallfield, Molly Whitlow

Student Systematic Reviews: Occupational Therapy

PURPOSE: Picky eating is related to the lack of consumption in food variety by children when shown different foods (Wolstenholme et al., 2020). A 2015 study reported that almost half of children experience a period of picky eating at some point during early childhood, including almost 15% of children for whom picky eating does not resolve by age 6 (Cardona et al., 2015). The purpose of this systematic review is to identify interventions within the scope of occupational therapy that increase food acceptance in children under the age of seven years who demonstrate picky eating characteristics and who have no …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of The Mover Program For Treating Attention Deficit In Children (Mover: Movement Opportunities Through Vestibular Engagement Rhythm), Lindsay B. Williams, Camille Skubik-Peplaski

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of participation in a movement- to music program on the attention span of elementary school-aged children who have attention deficits. The hypothesis was that participants would demonstrate improved attention on the Test of Sustained Selective Attention (TOSSA) (Kovacs, 2015).

Methods: This quantitative study involved nine children who participated in four movement-to-music sessions with a staggered stop over a period of six weeks. The study incorporated a single group pre-test/post-test design, and a non-parametric Sign Test was utilized to analyze data from the TOSSA subcategories of concentration, detection, …

Associations Between Otitis Media And Social Development And Behavior, Samantha Reed, Inga Rohde, Hannah Yu

Occupational Therapy Evidence Projects

Doreen Hunt, MA, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist at Children's Therapy of Woodinville, an outpatient pediatric clinic. She served as the primary collaborator with three University of Puget Sound occupational therapy (OT) doctoral students to address the research question, "How are chronic ear infections (otitis media) in early childhood associated with children's behavioral outcomes and social development?" A literature review identified 29 relevant articles which led to establishing themes of social skills, attention and behavior. Strong evidence indicates an association between chronic ear infections and social skills. However, due to mixed evidence, no clear associations could be found between chronic …

Incorporating Trust-Based Relational Intervention In Occupational Therapy To Address Mental Health Needs Of Elementary Students, Maci K. Stouffer

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background. The rate of children experiencing mental health issues is increasing exponentially. Many mental health conditions could be successfully treated in childhood, yet they are overlooked, with only half of the diagnosed cases treated and many others undiagnosed. Youth spend much of their day in school. Therefore, their mental health must be addressed within this setting. Purpose. This capstone project aimed to develop and implement a trauma-informed, occupation-based intervention program for elementary students. Equipping students with self-regulation skills, teaching appropriate calming strategies, and providing opportunities to practice the main components of building healthy relationships. The school staff was educated on …

Comparison Of Computer-Based And Therapeutic Activity Interventions For Improving Visual Motor Abilities Of Preschoolers With Autism: A Randomized Control Study, Supawadee C. Lee

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based and a traditional activity/practice-based intervention for improving the visual motor abilities of children with autism.

Methods: A group, pre-post, experimental design was used with randomization of subjects to four intervention conditions: a computer-based training, a therapeutic practice intervention, the combination of a computer-based training and therapeutic practice intervention, and a martial arts exercise. A sample of 34 preschool children with autism and visual motor integration deficits between 3 and 5 years of age were recruited. The Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities was administered …

Sensory Preference And Learning Preference In Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Dyslexia, Jennifer Gomez, Hope Mccarroll, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Is there a connection between a child’s sensory preferences and their learning preference? Sensory processing disorders are a heavily researched topic in current literature and many children with sensory differences present with learning disabilities, but research is lacking concerning any connection between sensory processing and learning. This research study examines children’s sensory preferences and learning preferences and denotes trends between these two variables. 15 participants were recruited from the Accommodated Learning Academy in Grapevine, Texas, a private school for students 1st-12th grade with learning delays. The sample of 15 participants consisted of 12 females and 3 males, aged 11-15 years …

Identifying An Association Between Sensory Processing And Food Sensitivities, Taylor Tonks

OT Student Capstones

Introduction: Feeding difficulties are quite common in children and can lead to a multitude of poor health outcomes. Children with sensory processing difficulties can present with feeding difficulties. The relationship between sensory processing and feeding difficulties in children has been previously researched. However, most of the existing research focuses on children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: The purpose of the present study was to identify the association between sensory processing and food sensitivities in children of varying diagnoses using retrospective data. In the study, the researcher included 47 children who presented to an outpatient pediatric clinic for a feeding …

Increasing Accessibility Of A Children's Summer Camp, Jenna Curtiss

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The Americans with Disabilities Act was initially passed in 1990 with an aim of creating accessible public spaces for all individuals with disabilities and impairments. Since that time, research on accessibility for children with physical impairments has largely been focused on access to homes and schools. It is clear that a lack of accessibility impacts children with physical impairments in other environments by reducing social participation and interaction with peers. There is minimal research on accessibility of children’s extracurricular spaces, such as summer camps, despite studies showing the importance of children with physical impairments participating in social extracurricular activities. This …

Playgrounds Should Be A Place For All Children, Emily Pellicano

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Play is one of the most important occupations of children, both because it supports development of children’s skills and because it provides meaningful experiences for play participants. Playgrounds provide a valuable community setting where children can play together, but the opportunity for children with disabilities to equally experience the benefits of playground play depends largely on a playground’s degree of accessibility, usability, and inclusivity. While there is research on the differences in play among children with different abilities and evidence-based guidance on how to make playground play more accessible, usable, and inclusive for children of all abilities, the extent to …

Occupational Therapists’ Clinical Reasoning In Aat With Dogs In Pediatric Therapy, Catherine C. Goodman

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand the clinical reasoning used by occupational therapists to select animal assisted therapy with a dog to be included in a treatment plan for their pediatric occupational therapy clients

Theoretical Framework. The Ecology of Human Performance model supports the study purpose and emphasizes the effect of a person’s context and environment on their ability to function and perform tasks.

Methods. The descriptive qualitative study used interviews of seven occupational therapy practitioners who have included dogs in therapy sessions with children. Interactive coding and theme development was employed with member checking applied to …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Health Promotion For Youths Facing Chronic Conditions, Megan A. Moret, Megan A. Moret

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This 17-week capstone project was completed at The Parker Place and virtually managed throughout the entirety of the experience. The Parker Place is a pediatric endocrinology and lifestyle management facility located in Annapolis, Maryland. Completing a virtual capstone project did not hinder the progress and outcomes of this experience. The Healthy Habits program was developed at this site to implement an occupational therapy role to supplement the served population’s health and wellness goals. Communication and client visits took place through passcode-protected video call sessions, phone calls, a HIPAA-compliant texting system, and email. Dr. Elizabeth Parker was the mentor for this …

Cognitive Orientation To Daily Occupational Performance (Co-Op): 1-Week Group Intervention With Children Referred For Motor Coordination Difficulties, Rose Martini, Jacinthe Savard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) intervention delivered in a group format in a 1-week summer day camp program for children referred for motor coordination difficulties. Transfer of learned skills to self-selected tasks not addressed in the group intervention was also explored.

Method: A quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design with a 1-month follow-up was used. Changes in nine children’s self-selected occupational performance goals, as well as their sense of self-efficacy for these goals, were determined using nonparametric statistics.

Results: Findings indicate a significant …

Long-Term Outcomes In Children With Acute Flaccid Myelitis, Megan D. Henley, Lindie Hill, Sydney Inman, Molly Grace King, Sam Lopez, Carley Mahaffey

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of our critically appraised topic is to combine the best evidence regarding the long-term outcomes in children with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) regarding posture and movement, gross and fine motor control, and activities of daily living (ADL) performance. The final portfolio contains eight articles. The study designs of these articles include a retrospective cohort study, two retrospective non-randomized studies without a control group, a retrospective review, a nationwide follow-up questionnaire analysis study, a case report, a case series, and a multiple quantitative case study. All studies related directly to our evidence-based PICO question and were used to determine …

Effectiveness Of Auditory Interventions On Children's Attention, Engagement, Self-Regulation, And Auditory Discrimination, Victoria Brager, Claira Geller, Jessica Kresl, Emily Waham

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Capstone Projects (2016-2021)

Sensory-based interventions are commonly used in occupational therapy practice to support children and youth with disabilities that may impact occupational performance. Auditory interventions are a specific sensory intervention centered around the use of sounds thought to create neural changes in the brain resulting in improved functional performance (Wink, McKeown, & Casey, 2017). Four occupational therapy research students collaborated with a local pediatric occupational therapist who was interested in obtaining updated evidence on auditory interventions with children. Researchers screened and systematically reviewed the literature to address the question, "Do auditory interventions improve self-regulation, engagement, auditory discrimination, and/or attention for children?" Upon …

A Cross-Content Validation: Sosi-M & Bot-Sf, Eleanor Brewer, Emily Yuen, Alyssa Asuncion, Taylor Hanson, Mariella Villanueva

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

This thesis paper examines a new assessment, Structured Observations of Sensory Integration- Motor (SOSI-M), and it’s concurrent validity against the well-validated Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition (BOT-2). This research study answers the question of “Do the scores from SOSI-M correlate with scores from the BOT-2 in a sample of children 5 to 14 years of age?”. The participants for this study are school-aged children between the ages of five to fourteen years old, all genders, English-speaking, ambulate without assistance or use of orthotic devices, and have motor and sensory abilities sufficient in order to complete both motor …

Let’S Dance: Exploring The Physical, Psychological, And Social Effects Of Dance In Children, Alexis Sunderlage

Senior Theses

Movement and dance have a lot of positive health benefits, physically, psychologically, and socially. Children love to intrinsically move and creating a structured dance program is one way to gain the benefits of dance. The purpose of this study is to explore the physical, psychological, and social effects of dance in children while gaining insights that could be applied to the setting of occupational and physical pediatric therapies. This was done by conducting a literature review and exploring how children react to learning and following dance videos in a classroom setting by evaluating ability, engagement, and enjoyment by creating Let’s …

A Case Study Of Children's Programming In Transitional Housing, Crystal L. Coffman

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Female-headed households with children makeup nearly 30% of the homeless population, and are challenged to become self-sufficient while embodying multiple roles with inadequate supports (Bassuk, 2010; Crncec, 2008; Fisher, 2000; Schultz-Krohn & Tyminski, 2018). While there is growing literature to support the social-cultural and occupational needs of adults in this population, few programs and research efforts have explored the life skill and developmental needs of children (Fleary et al., 2019).

Purpose: The purpose and objectives of this capstone project were to examine the planning, execution, follow-up, and contextual adaptation of the programs provided to children and youth at a …

Exploring Accessibility And Social Inclusion For Children With Hearing Impairments In Residential Camps Through The Occupational Therapy Lens, Tiffany Coles

Student Capstone Papers

Children are encouraged to engage in various play, leisure, and social participation activities to enhance the development of life skills, independence, and social skills. A common leisure and social participation activity for children aged 6 to 18-years-old is to attend residential camp. Residential camps provide children a structured opportunity to engage in leisure activities while learning to become independent and self-confident when socializing and making new friends. Attending camp can be a fun and engaging environment to help accelerate growth in key developmental outcomes, such as positive identity, social skills, physical skills, positive values, and spirituality.

Within the residential camp …