Digital Commons Network^™

Dance Inclusivity For People With Low Vision, Emma Winckler

Honors Theses

The primary concentration of my project was providing education to promote inclusivity in dance for people with low vision. My objectives for this project were to create a literature review relating to my project, create an educational infographic for how to best support those with low vision in a dance class, and share the infographic I created with the WMU dance department and at the Barbra Rider Colloquium.

Dance has been an integral part of my life and in my experience, I’ve never seen dance opportunities provided to people with low vision. After looking more into dance with low vision …

Social And Environmental Determinants Of Occupation And The Need For An Intersectional Approach To Culturally Meaningful Practice, Diane Smith

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

To provide culturally-centered care to clients and develop interventions that meet the client’s holistic needs, occupational therapists need to consider social and physical environments affecting participation in culturally meaningful occupations. Using a case study, this paper describes the use of the concept of social and environmental determinants of occupation (SEDO) as a necessary strategy to incorporate in clinical practice to determine how SEDO intersect, resulting in occupational justices/injustices that influence access to participation. SEDO are defined as broad (and intersecting) social and environmental factors that increase or limit an individual, community, or population’s ability to participate in culturally meaningful occupations …

Moving Toward Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy For Autistic People: Key Questions And Next Steps, Aaron Dallman, Kathryn Williams, Jacklyn Boheler, Greg Boheler

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

With the rise in popularity of neurodiversity-affirming practices in occupational therapy, specifically with the autistic population, there is a need to establish a more robust theoretical underpinning for this work. A neurodiversity framework is different from the prevailing medical model that informs current practice in much of Westernized health care, and interested occupational therapists are now asking questions about how to apply it to their work. Occupational science is well-suited to generate research outside the medical model that can serve as a basic science foundation to inform practice. The purpose of this Opinions in the Profession paper is to suggest …

Mapping The Way Forward: Prioritizing Education For Global Occupational Therapy Practice In Addressing Sexuality And Intimacy - A Delphi Approach, Beth Ann Walker, Jenn Soros, Abbie Alter, Bridget Downs, Courtney Cummings, Ireland G. Greenwell, Kayla Elstien, Kyli Luna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The World Health Organization identifies sexual functions and intimate relationships as a functioning domain in the Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (WHO, 2023). Addressing sexual functions and intimate relationships is a key area of practice for occupational therapists (Walker et al., 2020), and it is important to ensure that occupational therapists are prepared to address this important domain. With the worldwide call to ensure the sexuality and intimacy needs of individuals receiving rehabilitation services are addressed, it is time to establish a new direction for education, practice, and research. This study used a Delphi approach to gather and analyze evidence, …

"I Have A Story To Tell Them": Qualitative Analsysis Of Interviews With Formerly Homeless Adults, Rachel Lee, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Adults experiencing homelessness (AEH) make up an underserved community, especially in receipt of occupational therapy (OT) services. While there is growing knowledge on the occupational needs of this community, little is known of the occupational needs of AEH to successfully sustain housing long-term. The primary objective of this study is to describe the lived experiences of adults who have successfully transitioned to stable housing after a long period of homelessness. The secondary objective is to use findings to identify key areas for OT intervention with adults immediately following homelessness.

Method: The participants included five adults 25 years …

The Experience Of Burnout Of Rehabilitation Therapists In Long-Term Care Settings: A Qualitative Exploration, Christine Hughes, Lisa Borrero, Laura Santurri, Heidi Ewen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Burnout among health care workers is growing among long-term care staff, with various repercussions. Research about how rehabilitation therapists (occupational, physical, and speech) perceive and experience burnout in such settings is limited. Understanding these experiences with burnout in long-term care is necessary to address burnout. This study investigated rehabilitation therapists' perceptions of and experiences with burnout while working in long-term care.

Method: The researcher used a qualitative interpretive approach to guide audio-recorded and transcribed interviews. The data were analyzed through coding and then themes were developed.

Results: Six themes emerged: causes of stress and burnout, individual …

The Development, Content Validation, And Clinical Utility Of Mealtime Screening For Schools (Mealss), Karen B. Howarth, Julia M. Guzman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study aimed to determine the initial content validity and clinical utility of Mealtime Screening for School (MEALSS), a new screening tool that measures mealtime participation in students with intellectual and developmental disabilities 5 to 10 years of age.

Methods: To determine the content validity of MEALSS, the researchers recruited five participants identified as pediatric occupational therapists and/or feeding experts to review the MEALSS. Item level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale level validity (S-CVI) were calculated, as well as modified kappa indices to reduce the probability of chance agreement. MEALSS was then revised based on feedback from the …

Guidelines For Conducting Survey Research: Part 1 – Development And Recruitment, Diane Powers Dirette, Rob Lyerla

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Cautious Lion, Canny Woman: Queer Animality In "La Response Du Bestiaire", Tess Wingard

Medieval Ecocriticisms

No abstract provided.

Emeriti News Fall 2024, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

• Message from the Chair:
• Information about the Emeriti Council
• Wednesday II Events
• University News
• Faculty Senate Updates
• Student Scholarships
• In Memory

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session ,September 26, 2024, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (June 27, 2024 Meeting)
• Remarks by the Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
• Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Updates by the Graduate Student Association President
• Western Michigan University Employee Graduates
• Bridging Classroom to Career: WMU Sales Program and Industry Collaboration
• Driving Student Success
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• State Capital Outlay – Building Project Priority List
• Western Michigan University External Audit, 2024

Consent Item

1. Personnel Report
2. Curriculum Proposals
3. Special Liquor License Applications (October 25, 2024 and October 26, 2024 …

Acculturation, Well-Being And Identity Of Oromo Immigrants, Hawi M. Wako

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between racial and ethnic identity, acculturative stress, and well-being for first generation Oromo immigrants. Studies regarding immigration, acculturative stress, identity, and well-being have primarily centered on Hispanics, Asians, and Caribbean individuals, but there has been a lack of attention toward Black African immigrants, including Oromo immigrants. The lack of inquiry into Black African immigrants, especially Oromo immigrants, creates a perception that all immigrants are the same, leading to a generic approach toward immigrant interventions and falls short of meeting the unique mental health needs of specific African communities.

Immigrants must …

Examining Ethnic-Racial Socialization As A Predictor Of Resilience And Ethnic-Racial Stress In Hispanic/Latine Young Adults, Adrian Josue Hernandez

Dissertations

Multiple scholars have emphasized the importance of elucidating how Hispanic/Latine individuals are socialized to navigate issues pertaining to ethnic-racial identity, such as ethnicracial stress from racism and discrimination (Ayón et al., 2020; Umaña-Taylor & Rivas-Drake, 2021). Ethnic-racial stress has been linked to numerous adverse physical and mental health outcomes among Hispanic/Latine people, including poor health-related quality of life and increased depressive symptoms (Alamilla et al., 2010; Andrade et al., 2021).

Attention to the role of ethnic-racial stress in exacerbating health disparities within Hispanic/Latine communities has also stimulated increased interest in understanding Hispanic/Latine resilience (Arce et al., 2020; Bosma et al., …

Counselor Education Doctoral Student Supervisors’ Preparedness To Address Indirect Trauma: Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress, And Vicarious Trauma, Dynetta Clark

Dissertations

Hearing the painful stories of clients (indirect trauma) has been described as an occupational hazard for professionals working with trauma survivors and is becoming more common among mental health professionals. This might include counselors struggling with intrusive thoughts and having flashbacks of victimization, counselors viewing the world as an unsafe and unpredictable place, and/or counselors experiencing a loss of ability to empathize with clients. Clinical supervision is documented as an effective strategy to reduce the adverse effects of indirect trauma symptomology. A signature component of most counselor education and supervision doctoral programs is the training and preparation of students to …

Black Women’S Instagram Usage And Body Dissatisfaction, Shirlee Buchanan Moore Jr.

Dissertations

Within U.S. culture, girls and women of all ages are subject to experiencing body dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction often results from direct comparison of one’s body to others, often via media depictions. Viewing these images prompts women of all cultures to engage in social comparison and learn to view themselves through an observer’s perspective. The advent of contemporary social media has increased the accessibility of images of others and, subsequently, social comparison of one’s body to others. Research has noted that women of all racial backgrounds utilize social media and experience varying degrees of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their bodies. Despite …

Relationship Enhancement With New College Dating Couples: An Examination Of Self-Report And Observational Data, Kyra Katte

Dissertations

The present dissertation project investigated relationship enhancement following a brief self-disclosure task (i.e., the Fast Friends Procedure; FFP) via self-report and observational data. Thirty-three undergraduate couples dating for less than six months asked and answered questions that required increasingly higher levels of self-disclosure for 45 minutes. Interactions were recorded and coded for fondness/admiration, experiential avoidance, interdependence, reciprocity, and relationship satisfaction. Relationship outcomes were assessed pre-FFP, post- FFP, and at a six-month follow-up timepoint. Variables measured via observation demonstrated correlations with and predicted relationship outcomes, though most findings were nonsignificant. Nonsignificant findings may be attributed to the virtual administration of the …

A Comparison Of Training Approaches On Skill Acquisition Among Direct Care Staff At An Adult Day Program, Sandra Wagner

Dissertations

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are often dependent on direct care staff to engage in daily activities, such as personal care, eating, and engaging in leisure activities. One way direct care staff can support adults with IDD to become more independent is by using prompting strategies. Often times, however, direct care staff have not been trained on how to use prompts to encourage independence. Current studies have demonstrated success in teaching direct care staff prompting strategies in personal care tasks (e.g., Engelman et al., 2002; Parsons et al., 1993) through behavioral skills training. Although the trainings produced an …

A Qualitative Study On The Role Of Companion Animals For Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Fariha Tabassum

Masters Theses

This research study explores the role that companion animals play in the lives of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Intimate partner violence has biopsychosocial repercussions. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse causes trauma, which worsens mental health issues, and cognitive function. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was used for this study. I conducted ten interviews to examine the perspectives of professional advocates working with IPV survivors. Recognizing the crucial role social interactions play in trauma recovery, the study investigates the therapeutic benefits companions may have for survivors who have experienced intimate partner violence. Despite much research has been …

Female Criminal Agency In Early Fourteenth-Century Norfolk, Anna K. Davis

Masters Theses

Medieval women who were on the wrong side of the law expressed agency in a specific and unusual manner. Criminal agency, as it were, was a way for them to express their wants and desires in a way that is no less valid a subject of study than actions that were legally permissible. However, this agency was constrained by medieval notions of women’s capability. This thesis examines women and their crimes found in an early fourteenth-century Norfolk gaol delivery roll to further understand how the men who ran gaol delivery “allowed” women to be criminal. As gaol delivery rolls were …

Vengeance As Piety: The Heroic And Elegiac Devil Of Genesis B, Alisa Heskin

Masters Theses

In Christian theology, the fall of Lucifer and his fellow rebel angels details the origins of angelic sin and prefigures the fall of humanity. The narrative had a strong literary tradition in early medieval England, appearing frequently in both poetry and prose. The Junius manuscript, one of four codices preserving the majority of Old English poetry, contains three accounts of the fall of the angels, with the most extensive versions being found in the poems known by scholars as Genesis B and Christ and Satan. Much of the scholarly attention Genesis B receives pertains to its interpolation into the longer …

White Counseling Psychology Doctoral Trainees’ Experiences Broaching Whiteness With White Clients: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Zari Koelbel Carpenter

Dissertations

This research builds upon scholarship of critical theorists and critical whiteness studies. The “invisibility” of whiteness has been increasingly acknowledged and attended to in counseling psychology. Further, prominent scholars have continuously urged the field of counseling psychology to acknowledge race as a psychological characteristic of white people (Helms, 2017; Helms & Carter, 1990a). Attention to whiteness is needed, as the majority of the counseling workforce, including doctoral students (55%), identifies as white (American Psychological Association, 2020). As racial identity development can advance the personal and professional development of white counseling psychologists and benefit clients, increased attention is merited for the …

Breaking Boundaries: A Qualitative Exploration Of Scientific Motivation And Persistance From The Perspectives Of Arab Women Undergradute Students In Stem In The Us, Fadwa Hamad

Dissertations

There is a lack of information regarding the motivational experiences of Arab women undergraduate students in STEM fields in the US and the factors that contribute to their engagement and persistence in this field. This is because of their categorization as white on census documents, which renders them invisible. Research has shown that motivational beliefs are effective predictors of students' persistence especially for women from minority groups. Thus, it is important to understand the motivational experiences of Arab women students as part of the minority women in STEM in the US. Using an intersectionality framework, and a multi-component motivational model, …

The Embedded Scaffolded Writing Mini-Course (Teswmc): An Approach To Improve Teacher Candidates’ Writing Skills And Attitudes, Vicky Giouroukakis Ph.D., Laurie Bocca

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

High-quality academic writing is critical to student success in graduate-level education courses and professional advancement in our field. The Embedded Scaffolded Writing Mini-Course (TESWMC) was designed to both improve teacher candidates’ skills in writing critically and effectively and to positively influence teacher candidates’ attitudes towards writing. The 7-week mini-course was taught by the teacher educator/researcher as a “push-in” into a semester-long graduate Education course. The mini-course also served as a pilot study to determine its efficacy. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Data revealed that teacher candidates reported that their writing skills and attitudes towards writing improved. …

Clinical Application Of The Soil Model: A Practical Case Consideration, Shivani B. Vij

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Cultural Respect In Academia, Alondra Ammon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Given the aim to increase diverse representation in health care to promote equitable health care outcomes, occupational therapists must critically examine how we respect cultural diversity. This opinion piece intends to highlight the importance of creating academic spaces where students can thrive and carry over those teachings beyond the classroom and into the communities they serve. The author, who identifies as a person of color, is a Ph.D. candidate and academic occupational therapy educator who integrated their constructionist epistemological lens and reviewed literature to inform a working definition of cultural respect and recommendations. Cultural respect involves recognizing, understanding, and appreciating …

Primary Care Occupational Therapy: Diagnoses, Outcomes, Reimbursement, And Team Satisfaction, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, Tina M. Sauber, Mandi Ogaard, Martina Mookadam, Shanthi V. Cambala, Felicia E. Trembath

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Literature supports including occupational therapists on primary care teams. Few occupational therapists practice in this setting. The health care community needs more information regarding the benefits of occupational therapists on the team.

Method: We completed an 18-month pilot integrating an occupational therapist in a primary care team, tracking conditions treated by the occupational therapist, visit duration, reimbursement, and level of primary care providers’ (PCP) satisfaction. We then evaluated outcomes via a retrospective chart review.

Results: Visits were brief, averaging 35 min. Longer visits did not improve outcomes. Occupational therapists were reimbursed by Medicare (47%), commercial (47%), …

A Retrospective Study Of Healthcare Needs Of Unpaid Caregivers In The United States, Ranelle M. Nissen, Jessica Mchugh Conlin, Mackenzie L. Feldhacker, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Allison J. Naber

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Introduction: Demand for caregivers is on the rise. In the US, 53 million individuals provided care in 2020. Older adults constitute nearly half of all care recipients and often receive care from a family member. This study identified the health care needs of caregivers regarding health care use, access to resources, and unmet needs.

Methods: We used a retrospective, cross-sectional design to examine existing data collected between 2013 and 2018 regarding caregiver experiences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test of independence.

Results: Caregivers were primarily female, White, between the 18 and 64 years …

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 …

Preparation And Use Of Physical Agent Modalities Among U.S. Occupational Therapists: A Mixed-Methods, Exploratory-Descriptive Study, Keith Gentry, Tammy Lesage, Devin Hebble, Lilly Adams, Ashlyn Watts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Physical agent modalities (PAMs) are used by occupational therapists to prepare for or facilitate participation in purposeful activities. However, little has been published in the last quarter century regarding how U.S. occupational therapists use and are prepared to use of PAMs in contemporary clinical practice. In this study, U.S.-based occupational therapists were surveyed regarding their use of PAMs, preparation for use, and perceptions of that preparation.

Methods: Survey data was collected from a purposive sample of 141 U.S.-based occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants as part of this exploratory-descriptive, mixed-methods study. Thematic and descriptive statistical analyses were …

Pawsitive Purpose: The Impact Of Autism Assistance Dogs On The Occupations Of Autistic Children, Morgan Starkweather, Amie E. Germain, Christine A. Kivlen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background. The World Health Organization recognizes that participation is important to individuals’ well being; yet, autistic children participate in fewer activities compared to neurotypical children. This article aims to describe the role of autism assistance dogs (AADs) in promoting participation and engagement in occupations and activities of daily living (ADLs) for autistic children.

Method. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological design was used. Two semi-structured interviews from a narrative perspective were conducted with each participant. Four volunteer parents and primary handlers of their child’s AAD participated in the study. Inductive analysis was used to interpret open-ended questions. Following transcription, Creswell’s …