Digital Commons Network^™

Home: Home Occupations For Mainstay Elders, Marissa Jahnke, Alyana Marie Louisse Simpron

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: According to the National Resource Center on Native American Aging (NRCNAA), at least one-fourth of Native American Elders experienced a fall at least once in the past year (Adamsen, 2018). Based on a consult review of the NRCNAA’s fall prevention program, the participants demonstrated limited follow through with the physical exercises because the recommendations were not culturally meaningful. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a safe mobility program for Elders.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using the PEOP model and the Native American medicine wheel to identify fall risk factors, outline current fall risk assessments …

The Utility Of Smart Home Technology Within Occupational Therapy Practice, Kylie Walthers, Jessie Zimmer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore occupational therapist practitioners’ (OTPs) utility of smart home technology (SHT) in their practice, as well as to inquire into the facilitators and barriers of utilization of smart home technology within the practice of occupational therapy.

Methodology: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, ND. A quantitative, descriptive research design utilizing survey methodology was used. Recruitment was conducted through purposive and convenience sampling. A 30-question Qualtrics survey was distributed to participants via social media and internet pages (OT4OT; AT4OT; CommunOT; …

Occupational Therapy Program For Women Residing In Domestic Violence Shelters, Paige Mccullough, Kelsey Wehe

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background Domestic violence is a public health concern that affects 43.6 million women, or greater than one in three women, each year in the United States (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence [NCADV], n.d.). Following experiences with domestic violence, victims endure various long-term physical and mental health challenges. These challenges negatively affect women’s abilities to carry out many daily occupations, as well as live independently. When a victim flees domestic violence, they often find themselves seeking support and safety from domestic violence shelters. These shelters are designed to focus on the victim’s immediate physical needs and less on their mental health …

Redirected Mindset: A Guide To A More Holistic Practice In Physical Rehabilitation, Sara Anderson, Ashley Malina

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Current practice is that the occupational therapists’ identity has become rooted in the practice setting they are working in versus the core values and beliefs of the profession. Despite the core values and beliefs of the profession, occupational therapists have pigeon-holed themselves as physical or mental health practitioners (Terry & Westcott, 2012). This results in restricted assessments and interventions that are not holistic and often not occupation based (Terry & Westcott, 2012). “Occupational therapy practitioners need to have an understanding of the physical, emotional, and psychosocial aspects of recovery from physical disability to address potential obstacles to their patient’s …

Home In Place: An Activities Of Daily Living Resource Guide For Informal Caregivers Caring For Their Loved One With Dementia, Justine Flattum, Nora Stevenson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There are over 70 million people in the Baby-Boomer generation that are progressing in age (Dupuis-Blanchard et al., 2015). It is imperative that healthcare providers consider the needs of this growing population. Home in Place is a resource guide that has been created for occupational therapists to distribute to informal caregivers of older adults with dementia. This original guide is intended to be introduced by occupational therapists working in hospitals or outpatient clinics where an individual with dementia is being discharged home and caregiver education is necessary. Although this guide is intended to promote aging in place, it can also …

Upper Extremity Orthopedic & Neurological Issues, An Exploratory Study Focusing On Protective & Preventative Strategies Using Practicing Occupational Therapists, Megan Klein, Shaina Simonson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the frequencies of injuries, causes, and protective and preventative strategies for practicing occupational therapists when working with upper extremity injuries. There has been limited research pertaining specifically to work-related injuries among practicing occupational therapists in upper extremity rehabilitation has been done. For this study, researchers examined the prevalence of occupational injury, pain, risk factors, and prevention strategies among practicing upper extremity occupational therapists.

Methodology: An exploratory survey research design was implemented following approval from the University of North Dakota (UND) Institutional Review Board on August 14, 2019. Potential occupational therapists were …

A Home-Based Program For Adolescents Recovering From Anorexia Nervosa And Bulimia Nervosa: The Promotion Of Recovery In The Natural Context, Rachael Gabrelcik, Kathryn Jensen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Eating disorders (EDs) have the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition for all ages (Watt & Dickens, 2018). Eating disorders are particularly deadly in adolescents with 1.8% of adolescents dying and 17% remaining unwell long term (Beukers, Berends, de Man‐van Ginkel, van Elburg, & van Meijel, 2015). Carter et al. (2012) expressed that specialized intensive treatment for AN often produces successful responses to treatment, but the significant rate of relapse suggests that acute inpatient/day treatment alone may not be adequate to result in long lasting behavioral changes to maintain normal weight and symptom abstinence once the external structure …

Finding Your Fire A Group Therapy Manual Designed For Women Who Experience Ptsd From Sexual Violence, Brittanie Schafer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Studies have shown that sexual violence affects approximately 17.7 million women annually (RAINN, 2019). Many of these women lead busy lives, often balancing the roles set upon them by jobs and families. With this in mind, many women believe that they do not have the time to attend therapy or that their other roles in their lives are more important. Some women still do not have the confidence to go to therapy out of the fear of reliving the trauma, experiencing embarrassment, and/or coping with low self-esteem (Keefe, Wiltsey Stirman, Cohen, DeRubeis, Smith, & Resick, 2018). Occupational therapists have …

Addressing The Occupational Needs Of Children With Post Traumatic Brain Injury In The School Setting, Reghan Boldt, Madisyn Rick

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to develop a guide for occupational therapy practitioners to use in the school setting for elementary-age children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), to increase services for these children, and to improve their back to school transition process.

Methodology: A literature review was conducted to understand the needs and barriers of elementary-age children who transition back to the school setting after experiencing a mTBI. Sources used in the process include online databases, textbooks, and government websites. The Person, Occupation, and Environment (PEO) model by Law and colleagues (1996) was selected to direct the …

Looking Beyond The User: An Occupationally Supportive Training For Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren In The Opioid Crisis, Jenna Marton, Kaitlyn Stewart

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The U.S. opioid crisis impacts families everywhere, cutting across all racial, urban and rural lines (Chan & Trant, 2018). Parental opioid-related overdose was attributed as one of the primary causes for the rise of children entering state custody and foster care from 1999 to 2016 (Haffajee & Frank, 2018). Therefore, more relatives are raising these children due to the unforeseen circumstances associated with opioid misuse, and it is often the grandparents who assume the primary caregiving role. According to Ellis and Simmons (2014), there are approximately 2.7 million grandparent caregivers or those who have primary responsibility for grandchildren under 18 …

Critically Appraised Topic: Impact Of Occupation-Based Interventions On Older Adults In Skilled Nursing Facilities Experiencing Occupational Deprivation, Kassandra Severson, Kaitlynn Stearns, Tyler Stecher

Critically Appraised Topics

Occupational therapy (OT) is “the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). OT practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability” (AOTA, 2020 p. S1) OT practitioners use meaningful occupations to promote health and a better lifestyle for people with injury, illness, or disability in all stages of life. OT practitioners use evidence-based practice, look at the environment and the task and make the …

The Dimensions Of Teachers Who Write And The Essence Of A Writing Life, Shari L. Daniels, Pam Beck

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

The purpose of this grounded theory case study was to explore the perceptions among ten K-12 teachers who teach writing and also write themselves. What are the key essentials for teachers to sustain a writing life? What habits of mind or attitudes are necessary for teachers to sustain a writing life? Interviews served as the primary data source along with writing artifacts from the participants’ own writing life. Findings indicate that teacher-writers committed to a writing life do so for the purpose of 1) discovering meaning, 2) connections to others 3) commitment to learning and 4) well-being, with an overall …

The Role Of A Principal In Creating A School Climate In Which New American Students Thrive: An Ethnographic Case Study Of A Midwest Magnet School, Attia Noor

Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic case study used the lens of multiculturalism to examine the role of a school principal in creating a climate in which New American students can thrive. Three discrete data gathering methods were utilized in this study including policy documents obtained from the school district website and the school, a two week period of in-school observations, and interviews of the principal and school staff members selected through purposive sampling. A focus group interview of parents was also used for data collection. Data were analyzed by using a constant comparative method to explore the meanings educators had attached to their …

Montana Coaches' Perceptions On Including Transgender Athletes In High School Interscholastic Sports And Its Effect On Team Chemistry, David L. Woods Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The eligibility of transgender students to participate in high school athletic sports is a polarizing topic in the United States of America. Questions of fairness within each competitive sport, along with precedents set in law and policy, both by the United States and by International Sporting Organizations such as the International Olympic Committee, shape arguments for or against transgender high school students' eligibility. Each state faces the decision of whether to base high school transgender athletes' eligibility in high school sports according to their gender identity, or their sex assigned at birth.

The study aimed to identify Montana high school …

The Establishment Clause Forbids Coercion, Not Cooperation, Between Church And State: How The Direct Coercion Test Should Replace The Lemon Test, Charles Adside Iii

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Can I Get Your Name Please? Not Unless You Want To Go To Jail, Jeremy Straub, Joseph Vacek

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Looking To Peers: Transjudicial Citations Behavior Among State Supreme Courts, Jonathan S. Hack

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Mental Health And The Character And Fitness Examination: The Tide Is Shifting, Kristen Clow

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

English Language Learner Teachers’ Perceptions Of Digital Games On Student Learning, Khalifa Alshaya

Theses and Dissertations

This body of work contains three articles that examine the intersectionality between English Language Learner (ELL) teachers and digital games. The purpose of the study is to qualitatively explore the perception of ELL teachers’ use of digital games as educational tools and whether they realize the potential to promote language learning for ELLs. This study aims to understand the lived experiences of ELL teachers to identify their viewpoint of language learning through gaming. The work focuses particularly on the teacher in an effort to contribute empirical work that supports the need for a more holistic approach to digital games in …

Physical Activity And Depression In Mothers Of A Child With A Special Health Care Need: Informing Future Interventions, Brianna Jean Black

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, approximately 20 percent of all children have a special health care need. Additionally, mothers of a child with a special health care need have worse overall well-being, mental and physical health compared to mothers of typically developing children. Physical activity may improve depressive symptoms and overall health in these mothers; however, little is known about the acceptability of physical activity interventions for mothers of a child with a special health care need. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to understand more about mother’s desire to use physical activity to improve depressive symptoms after having …

A Systematic Analysis Of Temporal Trends In Handgrip Strength For 2,584,978 Adults Between 1960 And 2017, Trevor James Dufner

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To systematically analyze temporal trends in handgrip strength (HGS) for adults.

Methods: Four electronic databases, along with researcher’s personal libraries, were searched up to August 2019 for studies reporting on temporal trends in mean HGS for apparently healthy adults who were broadly representative of their source population. Temporal trends in mean HGS were analyzed at the country-sex-age group level using sample-weighted linear or polynomial (quadratic or cubic) regression models.

Results: Data from eight studies/datasets were extracted to estimate trends in mean HGS for 2,584,978 adults aged 20–90+ years from 13 different countries (across three continents) between 1960 and 2017. …

Motor Competency's Relationship To Interpersonal Coordination In Stationary Basketball Dribbling, Daniel Bell

Theses and Dissertations

A gold standard for student pairing strategies in a physical education setting has still yet to be discovered and is a widely debated topic in the field. Inclusion and equitable learning environments are areas of emphasis for practitioners while trying to find new ways to elicit these things to benefit students. Interpersonal coordination (IC), a social phenomenon on which this study focused, has direct applications for pairing strategies in physical education. In essence, IC is a state in which two individuals non-consciously mimic each other’s motor patterns. IC was measured between 182 student pairings performing stationary basketball dribbling. Participants included …

Examining Perceived In-Group Similarity And Out-Group Dissimilarity As Predictors Of Religious Intergroup Bias, Richard Clark Grove

Theses and Dissertations

People tend to feel more favorably toward others who share their beliefs and values. Religion can provide a quick estimate of ideological similarity. The religious values conflict model (Brandt & Van Tongeren, 2017) proposes that people high and low in religiosity are both prejudiced toward groups with dissimilar values. However, the role of dissimilarity in predicting religious intergroup bias has not been directly tested. A pilot study (N = 326) tested whether Christians and nonreligious people would demonstrate the patterns of intergroup bias predicted by the religious values conflict model. Additionally, the respective roles of perceived in-group and out-group dissimilarity …

Self-Efficacy Of Nacep Accredited Concurrent-Enrollment Program Instructors In Rural Community Colleges, Cecil B. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States, high schools and community colleges are collaborating to offer students non-traditional educational programs that allow them to gain college credit including those accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Those teaching these classes must have high self-efficacy and enjoy their work if they are going to make a positive impact on the students they are educating. The theoretical framework for this research is based on Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory. The methodology for this qualitative research study utilized an integrated approach. Data collection consisted of one-on-one interviews with instructors who teach NACEP courses, administrators who …

The Impact Of Cultural Values In Advertising On Saudi Consumers’ Loyalty, Abdullah Mohammed Bajaber

Theses and Dissertations

Advertising has been one of the most effective elements of marketing communication used to persuade audiences to behave in a certain way. Many studies have examined factors that affect ads positively. Increasing loyalty was classified as the primary goal of companies. Thus, advertisements were commonly used to achieve this goal. On the other hand, even though many studies discussed advertising elements that might generate negative impacts, the possible results of these ads were not sufficiently addressed. Through the theory of planned behavior, this study aimed to explore the role of the cultural value as an element impacting loyalty negatively by …

Parental Practices And Home Environmental Influences On Children’S Physical Activity In A Controlled Lab Setting: An Observational Study, Tia Klein

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a rise of obesity in children, adolescents, and adults over the past decades. This rise in obesity has led to many health concerns such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, some cancers and depression. Physical activity [PA] has been shown to decrease these risks and aid in positive growth and development for children and adolescents. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between parental and child PA in a controlled lab experiment. The secondary aim was to examine parental practices (physical and social home environment) and their influences on children’s PA in a controlled …

The Impact Of Co-Witness Misinformation On Memory For A Traumatic Event, Kira Krupa

Theses and Dissertations

The misinformation effect has long been studied, but little research has examined how misleading post-event information affects traumatic memory. Misinformation presented by a cowitness has been found to be particularly powerful, often producing the strongest effects on eyewitness memory. The current study sought to analyze the impact of co-witness misinformation on memory for a traumatic event. Participants viewed a short film displaying a gruesome murder and completed an immediate recall test. After a short delay, participants read a narrative summary of the film (accurate or misleading), with some being told the narrative was written by another eyewitness. A subsequent recall …

Parental Leave Policies: Implications For Higher Education Policy, Muneka Nwoko

Theses and Dissertations

A persistent disadvantage of individuals and couples navigating and negotiating parental leave policies is often embedded in biased assumptions. Oftentimes, as a result, individuals and couples inherently encounter vastly different parental leave experiences. However, recommendations from the literature and federal policy support the need for gender equity, family-focused initiatives, and workplace interventions related to individuals and couples navigating and negotiating parental leave processes. Yet because of a lack of policy standardization, policy protocols related to these recommendations have proved unsuccessful in addressing the complexities individuals and couples experience when navigating and negotiating parental leave processes. Thus, this study applies a …

Public Perceptions Of Female Offenders And Their Treatment Needs, Laurel Purcel

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an abundance of research examining public perceptions toward various areas of the criminal justice system. Much of this research has focused on measuring public support toward punishment and rehabilitation for offenders within prison. However, less is known with regards to public attitudes toward female offenders. The current study examined public perceptions toward rehabilitation among offenders in general, and female offenders in particular, the risk factors that contribute to female offenders committing crimes, and toward various issues that are common among female offenders and their subsequent treatment needs. Two hundred and fifty participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical …

Twice-Exceptional College Students Narratives: When Giftedness And Mental Health Intersect, Emily Dubord Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Gifted college students often arrive at universities with high GPAs and/or ACT/SAT scores. Their achievements in extracurricular activities such as in the arts, athletics, service, and leadership are well beyond the average student. To admissions representatives and faculty, these students look well-adjusted and successful on paper. However, many of these gifted college students come with unique challenges that go misunderstood, ignored, and underserved during their years in higher education—specifically involving their mental health.

There are copious amounts of literature on gifted K-12 students and their mental health behaviors but very limited research done on the gifted college student population. Although …