Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students’ Social Awareness For Making Equitable Policy Decisions: A Quantitative Quasi-Experimental Study, Alysson Goodwin, Denise Crowley

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy has set a strategic vision to increase equity and health access through leadership in all practice areas. To this end, educators in occupational therapy doctorate programs must increase the students’ ability to lead with an awareness of the social impacts of policy decisions. The purpose of this study was to explore educational opportunities to support occupational therapy doctorate students in developing social awareness for decision-making. The study aimed to use an e-learning module to increase social awareness surrounding a departmental decision about a white coat ceremony. A quantitative quasi-experimental one group pre-test post-test study examined if a significant …

Associations Between Learning Environment And Study Satisfaction Across Time: Two Cross-Sectional Analyses Of Occupational Therapy Students, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson, Astrid Gramstad, Linda Stigen, Tove Carstensen, Tore Bonsaksen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

There is increasing attention toward students’ satisfaction and how they perceive the quality of the program they attend. This study examined stability and change across time with regard to the relationships between learning environment factors and occupational therapy students’ satisfaction with the program. In the two consecutive cross-sectional analyses performed in this study, 163 second-year students and 193 third-year students from all six occupational therapy education programs in Norway participated. The Course Experience Questionnaire was used to assess learning environment factors and study satisfaction. The data were analyzed with Pearson’s correlation coefficient r and with hierarchical linear regression. Bivariate associations …

Barriers That Affect Equity In The Occupational Therapy Admissions Process: Student And Faculty Perspectives, Quinn P. Tyminski, Lenin Grajo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The use of holistic admissions in higher education has been demonstrated to increase the diversity of incoming student classes; yet, in occupational therapy (OT) research, admissions processes remain under-explored. This phenomenological study aimed to explore the process of OT admissions from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff at a single OT program with the goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic process. Focus groups were conducted with first-year students, and an online survey was sent to faculty to explore perspectives on the admissions process, necessary qualities for an OT graduate student, and suggestions for increasing inclusion and …

Perspectives Of Occupational Therapy Graduates On Sentinel Events During Transitions To Practice: A Phenomenographic Study, Nileththi Achini De Silva, Eleanor Furtado, Anne W. Hunt

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Research suggests new occupational therapists face many positive and negative experiences during their transition from student to therapist. Current research lacks information regarding sentinel events that occur during this shift. An exploration of sentinel events as interpreted through the life course perspective may inform how to support the transition to occupational therapist. The purpose of this study is to (a) determine sentinel events that occur during the transition to practice for new occupational therapists and (b) the impact of these events. A phenomenographic approach guided a semi-structured interview with 14 recent occupational therapy graduates. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic …

The Effects Of Cervical Cancer Diagnosis On Occupational Performance, Wynnet Sinclair, Christine Mcconnell, Emily Clark, Katie B. Mcentire, Caitlin Lewis, Lyndsi Pound, Katherine Wuertz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: In the United States, it was predicted that approximately 13,960 new cases of invasive cervical cancer would be diagnosed in 2023 (American Cancer Society, 2023). The research question focused on identifying changes in occupational performance for patients with cervical cancer. The areas of occupational performance considered were activities of daily living, leisure, work, education, social participation, and mental health.

Methods: The respondents completed a cross-sectional, mixed methods Qualtrics survey. Likert scale questions captured the degree of functional impact of cervical cancer on the predetermined areas of occupational performance.

Results: Twenty-seven subjects (ages 18 to 70) fully …

Adolescent Perceptions Of Weighted Blankets And Quality Of Sleep: A Mixed Method Design, Tara D. S. Summers

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to describe the perceived sleep quality experience of an adolescent, without a pre-identified sleep need, when they used a weighted blanket during sleep.

Method: Adolescents (n = 5) 11 to 16 years of age completed a sleep diary for 7 days, sleeping with a self-selected weighted blanket for at least 3 days. A semi-structured individual interview was held after Day 7.

Results: The majority of the participants would like to continue using a weighted blanket for sleep. Eighty percent of the adolescents choose to sleep with a …

Occupational Therapists' Perceptions On Addressing Spirituality: A Cross Sectional Survey, Shannon Metzger, Jeanine Beasley, Jordan Marheineke, Amy Stites, Amy Riley, Christine Byam, Diane Maodush-Pitzer, Dawn R. Devries

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational Therapy (OT) was founded as a holistic profession that addresses the mind, body, and spirit. Research indicates that occupational therapists feel uncomfortable incorporating spirituality into practice. Method: This study aimed to identify perceptions of occupational therapists in addressing the spiritual needs of their clients. A cross-sectional Qualtrics survey was adapted from the Religious/Spiritually Integrated Practice Assessment Scale (RSIPAS). The survey was electronically sent out by several professional OT organizations. It was sent to occupational therapists and OT assistants to obtain their perspective of incorporating spirituality in practice. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis was completed. Results: Of the 52 …

A ‘Friendly Visitor’ Volunteer Intervention For Hoarding Disorder: Participants’ Perceptions, Susan Noyes, Sarah Van Houten, Elizabeth Wilkins

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Determining and delivering effective interventions for Hoarding Disorder remains challenging, and appropriate resources are often unavailable. To address the need, the Friendly Visitor Program was designed in Portland, Maine, to pair people living with hoarding disorder with a trained volunteer to help with decluttering the living environment. The majority of the trained volunteers were occupational therapy students.

Method: This qualitative research study explored participants’ perceptions in a volunteer program that addresses hoarding behaviors. The study was conducted through an interpretivist, constructivist lens, examining the Friendly Visitor hoarding intervention program through individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine participants, …

Factors Influencing Driving Confidence In Older Adults, Jill Linder, Beth Ann Walker, Elizabeth Moore, Anne Hegberg

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: It has been determined that both confidence and cognition impact driving performance and self-regulation. While it is known that cognitive decline impacts driving safety and that decreases in driving confidence can lead to self-driving regulation, further research is needed to determine whether cognition, demographics, and driving routines are associated with driving confidence.

Method: A non-experimental, cross-sectional design study using a convenience sample of 100 older adults was conducted to determine if individual factors are related to daytime and nighttime driving confidence.

Results: Multiple regression indicated that four variables predicted daytime driving confidence, including cognition, driving at …

Informing Modifications To Social Participation And Navigation (Span) For Adolescents With Social Anxiety Incorporating Pet Dogs, Nicole Porter, Gary Bedell, Jason Getzler, Megan Mueller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges of adolescence and profoundly impacts social participation. This study obtained adolescent and parent feedback to inform a future modification of Social Navigation and Participation (SPAN) for use with adolescents with social anxiety incorporating pet dogs.

Methods: The study had two phases: Phase 1 included interviews with adolescents with social anxiety (n = 8) about their social participation experiences, strategies, pet dogs, and thoughts on a proposed intervention to promote social participation; and Phase 2 included on-line survey completed by the adolescents and their parents (n = 14) assessing …

Artificial Intelligence: Analysis And Guidelines For Scholarly Writing, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Pcos In The Southern United States: A Socio-Ecological Model Intervention, Gloria Ogunlade

Liberty University Research Week

The second verse of 3rd John emphasizes the importance of prospering in our health even as our soul prospers. When so many diseases and complications plague the body, it impairs the quality of life and contradicts the will and purpose of God which is for us to enjoy good health continually. God desires the well-being of the whole person—body, soul, and spirit. This aligns with the biblical concept that humans are created in the image of God and that God's original plan for humanity included physical health and harmony. Believers need to care for their bodies, recognizing them as temples …

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled: A Theological Investigation Of Expressive Individualism And Existential Anxiety, Elyse Penton, Joseph A. Dennis, Dennis Nicholson, Jorge Rivera

Liberty University Research Week

In his work Ethics of Authenticity, Charles Taylor explores the contours of anthropology through studying contemporary philosophical thought in the postmodern West, wherein human identity is viewed as an internal, unique, moral ideal that finds fulfillment through the affirmation of others. This phenomenon has been termed by Robert Bellah as expressive individualism (hereafter EI). Though the political and societal implications of EI have been discussed by Carl Trueman and other scholars, the intersection between EI and contemporary existential anxiety from a theological perspective has not been substantially studied. We argue that EI is a significant contributing factor to the heightened …

The Spiritual Realm And The Christian Story: The Apologetic Value Of The Unseen Realm By Michael Heiser, Cameron Bonin

Liberty University Research Week

Michael Heiser’s work in The Unseen Realm presents the deep mythos of the Bible and the spiritual saga it contains. As society continues to drift deeper into the consequences of Friedrich Nietzsche’s godless universe, Heiser’s unseen realm offers apologists an exciting and beautiful alternate narrative. Christianity is more interesting and compelling than other conceptions of the universe. The biblical worldview calls for humankind to be elevated within its glorification and service to God, and it identifies humanity’s failure as cosmically significant in both Heaven and Earth. While many narratives, ancient and modern, call for the glorification of the human as …

Conscious And Unconscious Obsession–Based Human Motivation A Theoretical Proposal, Grace Pryor

Liberty University Research Week

The theory of incubation by Graham Wallace helps gives validity to the idea of human motivation that occurs both unconsciously and consciously by obsession. If a person were motivated by an idea and stopped consciously thinking about it, having not reached fruition with the thought, their brain would still unconsciously process the obsessive tendency until the obsession was satisfied. Seen and unseen thought processes can be observed in the motivations that drive neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals. Conscious obsession is seen when an individual is aware of their motivation, i.e., individuals pursuing a certain career path or improving an aspect of …

Narrative Activism: Storytelling For Effective Women’S Advocacy, Lili Morgan

Liberty University Research Week

The modern world grapples with profound injustices, requiring believers to expend efforts in the development of tools that promote societal transformation. This master’s thesis endeavors to contribute to the fields of advocacy and composition by investigating the integration of storytelling in women’s advocacy efforts. The necessity of women’s advocacy is evident in a review of global data on gender inequity, which demonstrates devastating disparities in areas of economic agency, educational attainment, vocational opportunity, healthcare access, and violence prevention. Vast scholarship demonstrates the power of storytelling in aiding advocacy related work; yet, no existing research provides practical writing strategies for those …

Let’S Unpack This: Supervising Religious Counselors Working With Religious Trauma, Nicole Taylor

Liberty University Research Week

How do counseling supervisors address vicarious trauma and burnout in the context of treating religious trauma? The lack of research on supervising cases of religious trauma poses a specific challenge in supporting emerging counselors, particularly emerging counselors who, themselves, engage in religious practices. This suggests the need of a supervision approach specific to the unique value conflict present when religious counselors work with individuals who have experienced religious trauma. Religious trauma has become more recognized in the past two decades of counseling research as a form of betrayal trauma (Cashwell & Swindle, 2018; Pressley & Spinazzola, 2015), but little research …

A Theoretical Framework To Enhance Healthcare Utilization Among International Students In The United States, Oyebolu Aderinola Akinkugbe

Liberty University Research Week

Many international students in the United States do not fully utilize healthcare on their respective campuses. Various factors at multiple levels influence healthcare utilization among international students. With a continual influx of international students to the USA, comprehending and remedying these influences is crucial for fostering the health and welfare of this demographic group. This study aims to use the socio-ecological framework to enhance healthcare utilization among international students in the United States. At the individual level, healthcare-seeking behaviors are influenced by health literacy, cultural beliefs, language proficiency, and financial constraints. Interpersonal dynamics, including social networks, peer support, and family …

A Brief Overview Of Health, Poverty, And Mental Health Concerns In American Indian/Alaska (Ai/An) Populations Native, Abbie Hopson

Liberty University Research Week

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations consistently experience significant health disparities compared to other races and to the general population. The majority of the negative mental and physical health outcomes of this population are preventable. This study provides an overview of the health disparities faced by American Indians/Alaska Natives, outlines contributing social determinants, and suggests future directions for research and treatment. Primary focuses were identified from government and Native organizations, including census data, education reports, and other similar sources, and were explored more in-depth through a variety of studies from the fields of psychology, history, sociology, and anthropology. Initial …

Communication Challenges In Nursing: Delegation, Accountability, And Technology Impact: An Integrated Literature Review, Austin Love

Liberty University Research Week

Is there a means by which collaborative communication between Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAPs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) can be effectively facilitated? There has been a noticeable decline in the effectiveness of delegation and interpersonal accountability between nurses and UAPs. Conversely, there has been a decrease in patient engagement in activities of daily living. This may contribute to hospital-acquired pressure injuries, falls, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line associated blood stream infections, prolonged hospitalizations, and the need for post-acute rehabilitation. Communication breakdowns are identified as contributors to medical malpractice, emphasizing their pivotal role in patient outcomes. The influence of social media …

Gender Bias And Children’S Literature: Understanding Natural Gender Language And Grammatical Gender Language Within Gender Development, Kaleigh Smolinski

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this research is to understand how gender bias is developed through language. Gender is represented within the human language in different forms such as in nouns, verbs, and/or pronouns that represent female and/or male versions of certain words (DeFranza et al., 2020). Each language consists of a degree of gendered language which is grammatical gender language, natural gender language, a combination of grammatical gender and natural gender, and genderless language (Prewitt-Freilino et al., 2012). This quantitative content analysis approach aims to understand how gender biases are represented in children’s literature in both grammatical gender language and natural …

Tackling Networked Misogyny Through Graduate Curriculum Design, Carolyn M. Cunningham

Feminist Pedagogy

This paper explores the importance of sharing feminist research through digital projects. One of the barriers of digital projects is the networked misogyny that graduate students face. This paper offers several strategies for addressing networked misogyny, including teaching about digital privacy, strategies for documenting harassment, collective engagement, and integrating trauma-informed pedagogy.

Turning Theory Into Practice: An Application Of Queer Family Theory For Graduate Students, Shawn N. Mendez, Samuel H. Allen

Feminist Pedagogy

This paper describes an original teaching activity for instructors of graduate students. Leveraging a critical, transformative, and intersectional pedagogical perspective applied to graduate education, this paper prepares instructors to effectively teach queer theory through an application of the Hegemonic Heteronormativity (HH) model, introduced by Allen and Mendez in 2018. The HH model identifies heteronormativity as a pervasive, three-pronged hegemony, each of which shifts and changes intersectionally and over time. The three-part assignment described in this paper asks students to read the Hegemonic Heteronormativity manuscript independently before reviewing the model with instructor facilitation. Then, students apply the model to real-life examples …

Research Week 2024 Program, Research Week

Liberty University Research Week

Research Week 2024 complete schedule.

Professional Development Strategies For Treating People With Idd And Mental Health Needs, Jennifer L. Mclaren, Elizabeth Grosso, Karen L. Weigle

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience significant health and mental health inequities and difficulties accessing care. There are few initiatives that train mental health professionals to care and advocate for the health and mental health care needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We developed a Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Professional Learning Community (PLC) with Clinical Education Teams (CET) training components through The National Center for START (Systemic-Therapeutic-Assessment-Resources-Treatment) Services^® to further educate providers in the United States. The National Center for START Services^® utilizes multiple training and collaboration forums to build the …

Interdisciplinary Treatment Approach To Youth With Intellectual Or Developmental Disabilities And Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions, Ashley Greenwald, Erika Ryst, Diane D. Thorkildson, Lauren Brown

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Many individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have co-occurring mental health needs, yet service delivery options often do not allow for the integrated delivery of mental health treatment and social behavioral support services. Siloed treatment approaches often result in lack of collaboration between providers, increasing the difficulty in accessing comprehensive and coordinated treatments and reducing treatment potential and effective outcomes. Additionally, many service providers in behavioral support services are not trained to address significant mental health needs; similarly, providers of mental health services lack experience in modifying practices for differing cognitive needs. The lack of cross-training and cross-collaboration makes …

The Link Center: A Federally Funded Technical Assistance And Resource Center Aimed At Improving Mental Health Treatment And Access For People With I/Dd, Brain Injury, And Other Cognitive And Communication Differences., Stacy L. Nonnemacher, Jeanne Farr, Wendy Morris

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Although we do not have robust prevalence studies in the U.S., a recent meta-analysis estimated that 33.6% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have a mental health (MH) condition. We know that this prevalence may be an underrepresentation because of factors like diagnostic overshadowing. We also know that people with I/DD experience inequitable access to quality MH and preventive care. This highlights the chronic lack of and access to holistic, integrated care for individuals with I/DD, especially those who also have MH conditions. Consequently, an increasing number of individuals with I/DD experience MH crises and suffer adverse consequences. …

Project Attain: Advancing Trauma-Informed Care For Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities And/Or Gender Diverse Youth, Kady F. Sternberg, Charlotte E. Bausha, Charlotte Jones, Erin Knight, Crystal N. Steltenpohl, Rebecca R. Parton, Jennifer L. Mclaren, Erin R. Barnett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and/or gender diversity are at higher risk of experiencing trauma. Provider knowledge is lacking; trauma, disability, and LGBTQ+ resources are often siloed; and few providers screen for trauma in this population. This paper describes the design, delivery, and initial evaluation of Project ATTAIN (Access to Trauma-informed Treatment and Assessment for Neurodivergent and/or Gender-expansive Youth).

ATTAIN is an ongoing 5-year state-wide initiative aiming to assess readiness to engage in new roles and practices over time; provide state-wide training and consultation in trauma, disability, and LGBTQ+-informed practices; install screening and assessment of trauma exposure and …

Exploring Parent/Caregiver Perspectives Of Self-Determination And Its Impact On Mental Health In Adolescents With And Without Disabilities, Jessica Schuttler, Sydney Walls, Tyler Hicks, Karrie Shogren, Hannah Adams, Richard A Chapman

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Introduction. Parents and caregivers play key roles in supporting the development of self-determination and mental health needs in adolescents with and without disabilities. This study explored parent/caregiver perceptions of the relationships among mental health and self-determination constructs for youth with disabilities, across gender and disability status. Method. Parents/caregivers of adolescents with and without disabilities completed rating scales regarding adolescents’ self-determination status (Self Determination Inventory) and mental health symptoms (Behavior Assessment System for Children, 3^rd Edition). Bayesian analyses examined the relationships among self-determination and mental health status. Results. Results are mixed, indicating moderate to robust relationships for self-determination as a …

Building Neuro-Inclusive Community, Strengthening Mental Health: The Autism After 21 Utah Project, Sumiko T. Martinez, Anna Smyth, Ann C. Carrick

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Over two decades of research shows strong positive relationships are a consistently powerful indicator of wellbeing and resilience. However, the U.S. Surgeon General notes that loneliness and isolation is an epidemic in the U.S., and that it is exacerbated for individuals with physical and mental disabilities as well as those with isolating economic or environmental situations. A recent review shows that many autistic adults in particular face challenges in finding the connections they want and need. They also often have compounding mental health conditions, such as depression and mental illness, lower incomes, isolating home environments due to a lack of …