Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Your Mind Matters: Promoting The Wellbeing Of The Parent-Child Dyad Through Family Education, Mckayla A. Becker

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The bond between a parent and child can be impacted by a parent’s mental wellbeing. Disruptions in their ability to parent, trauma, or exacerbation of mental health symptoms can lead to negative parenting styles (Mak et al., 2020). Previous literature suggests resilience building and supportive education has been effective in promoting parent-child wellbeing (Sell et al., 2021). The purpose of this capstone experience is to promote parent-child wellbeing through family education. The student implemented a six-week course titled “Your Mind Matters” and created parent educational handouts to support parent-child wellbeing. The project used two standardized assessments the Parental Sense of …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Meeting Mental Health Needs Of College Students In The South Dakota Regental University System, Molly J. Graesser

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

College students with mental health concerns and disabilities are at risk for poorer academic outcomes. Utilization of student support services (TRIO, disability services, and student counseling services) can mitigate these issues. However, utilization patterns and the service delivery process are not well understood in the South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) system. This study aimed to investigate 1. The extent to which students utilize mental health and disability services in the South Dakota Board of Regent (SDBOR) University system. 2. How service providers deliver those services to students. Utilizing a cross sectional survey and grounded theory design, researchers found that …

New-R Intervention For Clients With Severe Mental Illness And Obesity: Grant Writing For Implementation Funds Supporting Occupational Therapy Interventions, Kaitlyn Hoffman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Increasing numbers of people suffer from obesity and severe mental illness co-morbidly. If these conditions remain untreated, they can harm an individual's health and well-being. Unfortunately, there are very few programs currently available that target both management and improvement of these conditions simultaneously. Even so, despite the lack of programming options, it must be noted that the NEW-R program strives to reach those goals, although there hasn't been an abundance of literature supporting the effectiveness of this program. This poses a concern for occupational therapy practitioners who hope to assist their clients in managing these conditions as occupational therapy treatments …

Mental Health And Mindfulness: A Homeroom Curriculum At Benton Hall Academy, Kasey A. Rohleder

OTD Capstone Projects

This capstone project was completed through a partnership with Benton Hall Academy in Nashville, TN. This academy is a school for children who learn differently and works to help students be successful in their education and transition into the workplace or higher learning opportunities. This project focuses on improving the mental health of lower and middle school students through a 27 week homeroom curriculum teaching about mindfulness, social skills, attention, and emotional regulation. Current literature and materials, students needs, and stakeholder input was utilized to create and implement the project in the lower and middle school homeroom classrooms.

Guidance And Support With The Life Transition For Student-Athletes Experiencing Retirement, Alex Usselman

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

In conjunction with Cleveland State University's Athletic Department, this capstone focused on identifying the concerns with retirement from college athletics. Through observation, an extensive survey, and personal interviews, pertinent concerns were identified that will aid the Athletic Department in fostering a healthy retirement experience for current and future student-athletes

How Programing And The Enviorment Impact Occupation Participation With Individuals Living On A Secured Unit, Courtney Gast

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This Capstone was completed at Crestmont North in Lakewood. Modifications to the enviorment and activities program increased purpose and meaningful participation for older adult residents 55 years and older living within a secured unit. A written guide was developed for the activities staff with resources to enhance the care of older adults

The Need For Occupational Therapy On Campus, Emma Wagner

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

Many college students have difficulty with overall functioning and academic demands. This capstone identified the gaps in student services offered at Cleveland State University through interviews and surveys with administration and students. These gaps were conducted when recommending services to promote occupational balance and academic performance within CSU's student body.

An Occupational Therapy Guidebook For Individuals With Substance Use Disorder, Cassidy B. Ardoin

Student Capstone Papers

Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) experience barriers and challenges that impact their daily occupational performance, engagement, well-being, and quality of life. In addition to disrupting and distorting an individual’s unique occupational outcomes, SUDs can limit, replace, and dictate an individual’s daily meaningful activities, habits, routines, and skills that support healthy occupational engagement. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners have a unique and valuable role in SUDs treatment as they are equipped to identify these barriers and implement strategies for supportive skill development or restoration. Based on the literature review conducted, OT practitioners do not have an OT practice guideline, protocol, or …

An Occupational Therapy Guidebook For Individuals With Substance Use Disorder, Cassidy B. Ardoin-Barnett, Steven M. Gerardi

Summer 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) experience barriers and challenges that impact their daily occupational performance, engagement, well-being, and quality of life. In addition to disrupting and distorting an individual’s unique occupational outcomes, SUDs can limit, replace, and dictate an individual’s daily meaningful activities, habits, routines, and skills that support healthy occupational engagement. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners have a unique and valuable role in SUDs treatment as they are equipped to identify these barriers and implement strategies for supportive skill development or restoration. Based on the literature review conducted, OT practitioners do not have an OT practice guideline, protocol, or …

Improving Mental Health After Sci: An Occupation-Based Program, Kerston Ring

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project was to assess the effectiveness of occupational therapy in promoting positive mental health in those with SCI. Formal conversations related to mental health as well as various leisure activities took place throughout the program. The leisure activities were determined prior to initiating the program during the needs assessment. These were activities that the participants were either familiar with or novel. The activities were client-centered and modified as necessary to meet the client’s needs for full participation. The objectives of this capstone were to conduct a needs assessment to understand what factors could be changed to …

Effective Mental Health Accommodations For Occupational Therapy Students And Practitioners, Allison Jo Naber

Dissertations and Theses

The process of transitioning from high school to higher education and from academic programs outside of the health sciences to the workplace is documented; however, the transitional experiences of those in the health professions and occupational therapy specifically are less understood. This dissertation research aimed to identify the formal accommodations and informal adaptations occupational therapy students and entry-level practitioners have employed to address their mental health needs as they transition from the classroom to fieldwork or capstone and entry-level practice. The link between empirical literature, theories surrounding transitions, and the Occupational Adaptation Model provided the foundation for this research. This …

The Occupational Impact Of Mass Shootings, Ashley Ellsworth, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: As mass shootings continue to persist in the United States, their occupational impact on victims needs to be understood. The psychosocial and physical tolls of mass shootings have been investigated, but research related to the occupational impact was not found.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine stories shared by survivors of mass shootings to determine whether changes in occupational participation, performance, and fulfillment of meaningful roles and performance patterns occurred following the incident.

Methods: The question "What is the occupational impact of mass shootings on exposed individuals in the United States?" was asked. A qualitative research …

Promoting Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury Awareness Within The Domestic Violence Community, Christina Debowski, Heather Javaherian, Karen Park

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Brain injury has been shown in research to decrease individuals’ ability to participate in their meaningful activities by negatively impacting their cognitive, emotional, and physical systems. Recent research has begun to indicate that survivors of domestic violence (DV) are at extreme risk for experiencing partner inflicted brain injury (PIBI)--brain injury that results from the physical violence of a survivor's intimate partner. However, despite the prevalence of PIBI within the DV community, research shows that survivors and DV service providers alike are not aware of how PIBI can impact survivors' daily life and wellbeing.

Purpose: The purpose of this project …

Promoting Awareness And Healing In Persons In Mental Health And Addiction Recovery In Middle Tennessee, Savannah Rain Flint

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with Healing Arts Project, Inc., also known as HAPI. HAPI exists to fill a gap in recovery and rehabilitation services by providing free art supplies and art classes at partnered facilities, by providing art exhibition and publication opportunities for HAPI program participants, and by participating in outreach events throughout the year. These opportunities help spread awareness and inclusivity of mental health and addiction recovery within the community and helps artists to externalize their personal struggles, thoughts, and feelings through various creative outlets.

My project focus was to increase community awareness of HAPI …

Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives On Working In Mental Health Roles, Holly Phillips

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Occupational therapists working in mental health settings face a multitude of challenges to practice, including role blurring, generic roles, lack of support, and a lack of community, yet continue to pursue these positions. The current literature primarily highlights these barriers and discusses the under utilization of occupational therapists in mental health. Despite these challenges, occupational therapists are still holding prominent roles in this area and the question remains of why these therapists are continuing to pursue these roles and how they are creating meaning in their work. For this research, interviews were conducted with occupational therapists currently working or who …

Translated Evidence-Based Mental Health Toolkit For Skilled Nursing Facilities, Natalie Crisostomo Barrales, Jan Martha Conducto, Cecelia Ly-Peh

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

More than 500,000 adults with a serious mental illness (SMI) receive long term care (LTC) in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) (Grabowski, Aschbrenner, Feng, & Mor, 2009). Residents who live in SNFs may experience limited access to meaningful occupations. The SNFs’ institutionalized structure may perpetuate a lack of autonomy and stigma for residents with a SMI (Sullivan & Williams, 2017). Occupational therapy (OT) services provided in a SNF are often limited to therapeutic exercises, therapeutic activities, and activities of daily living skills (Rafeedie, Metzler, & Lamb, 2018). OT practitioners are not utilizing mental health interventions. Although SNFs are not traditionally …

Perceived Impact Of Non-Contact Boxing On Daily Life And Occupational Participation At Home Among Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Kristen E. Bignal

Student Capstone Papers

The aim of this project was to determine whether individuals with Parkinson's disease perceive an impact on their daily life and occupational participation at home secondary to participation in non-contact boxing.

Semi-structured open-ended interview questions were conducted with 17 participants (3 female) who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for(i.e., self-care, home and health maintenance, sleep, intimacy, social and leisure interests, etc.) in the home environment. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed utilizing thematic analysis.

Data analysis derived three overarching themes including psychological benefits, sense of community, and framework to develop routines. Subsequent research exploring how non-contact boxing directly impacts specific …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Maternal Mental Health Within Transition From Nicu To Home, Victoria Briltz, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott

San Marcos, Fall 2019

The purpose of this capstone project is to identify OT’s role in maternal mental health following the transition home from a NICU setting. This capstone project focused on mothers’ roles, routines, and environment during the transition from the NICU to home. Mothers may feel unprepared for the discharge home when their babies are ready to leave the NICU (Boykova, 2016). Occupational therapists address occupational performance through skilled interventions for women during the perinatal period; however, there is a lack of evidence guiding occupational therapy for providing services for maternal wellness (Slootjes, 2016). This capstone project will help share information, ideas, …

Sanism And Mad Pride: Critical Perspectives On Mental Health, Karen Mccarthy, Bianca Doherty

Karen McCarthy

The issue of stigma surrounding mental health has received increasing attention within occupational therapy, however, the focus has been primarily limited to the individual(s) being stigmatized, rather than on the underlying processes that create and maintain stigma. This presentation will explore the concept of ‘sanism’ as a system of thought that provides a foundation upon which stigma is maintained against persons labelled with a mental health diagnosis. The Mad Pride movement will also be discussed as an alternative perspective of mental health and a way to combat the sanism and the negative impacts of stigma.

Sanism And Mad Pride: Critical Perspectives On Mental Health, Karen Mccarthy, Bianca Doherty

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

The issue of stigma surrounding mental health has received increasing attention within occupational therapy, however, the focus has been primarily limited to the individual(s) being stigmatized, rather than on the underlying processes that create and maintain stigma. This presentation will explore the concept of ‘sanism’ as a system of thought that provides a foundation upon which stigma is maintained against persons labelled with a mental health diagnosis. The Mad Pride movement will also be discussed as an alternative perspective of mental health and a way to combat the sanism and the negative impacts of stigma.

Occupational Therapy With An Adventurous Twist, Ashley Cambronne, Mikaela Karpen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project is to increase knowledge and awareness of adventure therapy (AT) for occupational therapists (OTs) practicing in mental health settings or who are interested in practicing in mental health settings within the United States. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge and awareness of AT by OTs practicing within the United States. This lack of knowledge and awareness is due to a lack of research, especially research focused on AT implementation by OTs. The process for gathering data and creating the scholarly project was first, identifying a problem, then searching CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Academic …

Life Skills Program For Youth Who Have Experienced Homelessness, Michael Black, Ariel Campbell

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: According to the United States Department of Education (2017), for the 2016-2017 school year, there was an estimated 1,924 students enrolled in public schools in Wyoming experiencing homelessness, with an estimated 295 of these students unaccompanied by a family member or guardian. Homeless youth comprise one of the most vulnerable and medically underserved populations in the United States (Ammerman et al., 2004) and are also substantially more likely to have mental health concerns as a result of their past traumatic experiences (Davies & Allen, 2017). Homeless youth typically develop identities and habits that enable them to negotiate and survive …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Suzanne Peloquin, Phd, Otr, Faota, Alexandra Grosser, Kelsey Knutson

Oral History Posters

Objective: This life history of Dr. Suzanne Peloquin is one of 30 life history interviews, which are part of a larger project. The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond.

Method: A two-hour, semi-structured interview was conducted via Zoom video conferencing technology. The interview was video and audio recorded and later transcribed. The transcription was analyzed …

The S.P.I.R.I.T. Program: Spirituality Promotion Interdependence Resiliency Inclusive Therapy, Alycia Heisler, Brianna Safranski

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Native American children and adolescents are some of the most underserved people in the United States (Warzak, Dogan, & Godfrey, 2011). Common mental health problems this population typically experiences are depression, suicidal thoughts or ideation, traumatic experiences, substance use, and results of historical trauma (Brockie, Dana-Sarco, Wallen, Wilcox, & Campbell, 2015). They have the highest rates of these mental health problems, more than any other ethnic group (Evans-Campbell, Walters, Pearson, & Campbell, 2012). There is a need for preventative programs to be implemented with elementary school-aged Native American children and adolescents (Ohl, Mitchell, Cassidy, & Fox, 2008; Stigler, …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Diane Norell, Msw, Otr/L, Caelin Hansen, Jessie Zimmer

Oral History Posters

This life history is one of 31 life history interviews which are part of a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential In Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) In North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy (OT) practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life history of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information. This study is intended to provide current and …

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Art And Occupational Therapy Practice, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Susan Burwash, Ph.D., OTR/L, an occupational therapy professor and artist based in Washington State, provided the cover art for the Winter 2017 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The featured piece contains Professor Burwash’s signature fauxpals, lampwork glass beads made from molten glass and pure silver foil. Art creates balance between traditional medicine and personal medicine, those meaningful activities that give life purpose. Professor Burwash’s personal medicine is making beautiful things that can be given away.

Life History Of Sonia Zimmerman, Ph.D., Otr/L, Faota, Emily Kollodge, Samantha Scheel

Oral History Posters

Occupational therapy (OT) has evolved over its 100 year existence as a profession. There are many individuals who facilitated changes in the profession, however not all of them are written about textbooks. This life history is one of 29 life history interviews which are part of a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy and North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information about the history and evolution of IT practice through the life history of an individual who has been influential in developing OT. This study …

Life History Of Cassie Hilts, Mot, Otr/L, Nichole Arn, Mackenzie Funke

Oral History Posters

This life history report is one of 29 life history interviews which are a part of a larger project, Life History of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the project is to gather information through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing practice in North Dakota and Wyoming. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information. This study is intended to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of history and how occupational …

Improving Mental Health Literacy: A Single-Subject Design Experiment Examining The Effects Of Text Messaging On Adolescent Mental Health Literacy, Emma Coffman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility of delivering a text-based mental health literacy intervention for adolescent children who have family members with mental illness. The effectiveness of the text message intervention was measured using a single subject, multiple baseline study design. Each participant received three text messages per week for a total of 6 weeks, containing information regarding mental illness, managing crisis, resources, stigma, and assertiveness. The subjects were evaluated using qualitative and quantitative measures at multiple periods throughout the study. Assessments utilized include: Schizophrenia Vignette quiz developed by Jorm et. al. (1997), Perceived Stress Scale-14(PSS-14) …

Task Analysis For A Food Processing Facility: A Social Enterprise For Persons From Underemployed Populations, Louise Bobbitt, Jeremy Darrimon, Jessi Saaty

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Social enterprises aim to be agents of recovery for consumers of mental health services but lack knowledge of how to accurately identify workplace supports, accommodations, and modifications that are appropriate for their clients. Graduate occupational therapy students were contacted to assist with an activity analysis at a food processing facility that serves persons with mental illnesses. Occupational therapy is well suited to assist with task analysis and consult on work environments for persons with mental illnesses. In three sessions over five months a task-oriented analysis of work tasks at a food processing facility that employed people with mental illnesses was …