Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Peer-Mediated Art Program For Secondary Education Students: An Occupation Based Approach, Kjersten B. Sievers

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this 14-week capstone project was to explore the impact of a peer-mediated art program on the social and occupational experiences of students with disabilities. This program was designed and implemented to promote inclusion of students with disabilities by providing an opportunity to interact with typically developing peers within their school-context. The 7-week peer-mediated art program was embedded into a startup peer-program at a high school. A total of 10 participants (4 from special education) were recruited to complete the study. Students met for three 45-minute sessions and one 90-minute session each week as part of the program’s …

Occupational Therapy Services In Pediatric Mental Health, Hallie Jerome

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children and youth experiencing mental health concerns often have limited or decreased engagement in meaningful occupations. Additionally, children and youth who experience mental health concerns at an early age are more likely to experience negative health outcomes such as poor occupational engagement, academic achievement, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), maltreatment/abuse/neglect, family and peer conflict/rejection, low self-esteem, early substance use, and many others impacting their overall health and well-being. My capstone project aimed to administer occupation-based interventions in a pediatric mental health program while I advance my skills working with an interdisciplinary team. The literature and needs assessment indicated a need for …

Animal-Assisted Therapy In An Outpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy Setting, Peyton N. Stolle

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The use of animals to assist in the healthcare industry has been around for some time now, however, only recently have those in the occupational therapy industry begun looking at the effects that it would have on patients within their scope of practice. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has various uses, and recent studies have shown that the use of dogs within a healthcare setting can greatly increase patient motivation and well-being. However, prior literature shows that there are limited studies on the effects of AAT in a pediatric occupational therapy (OT) setting, specifically an outpatient setting. My capstone project aimed to …

Pediatric Trauma-Informed Care And Implications For Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Quaneka Hoskin-Chase

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Occupational therapy practitioners are provided a wealth of knowledge through school and professional fieldwork experiences to understand and skillfully address the needs of children who have been exposed to trauma. Therapists are competently prepared to provide holistic and client-centered care that is dedicated to meaningful and volitional engagement (Lynch et al., 2021). However, many therapists still lack the confidence and awareness of their role related to trauma-informed care in the pediatric environment (Piller, 2022). Trauma compromises each domain of occupation (Lynch et al., 2021). As early intervention specialists, the lack of responsiveness to children’s trauma can have devastating and enduring …

Inclusive Sports Environments: Youth Gymnastics Coaches’ Perceptions On Promoting Inclusivity For Autistic Athletes, Alec D. Sheaffer

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Despite the positive physical, psychological, and social benefits of sports, children with disabilities participate in sports at a lower rate than their typically developing peers. Partnerships between occupational therapists and youth sports providers can facilitate inclusive sports environments that enable equitable access to sports for all children.

Purpose: The purpose of the Capstone Project was to explore youth gymnastics coaches’ perceptions on inclusive sports participation following an educational module.

Theoretical Framework. The occupational justice framework (Townsend & Wilcock, 2004) guided the development of the project through the view that equitable participation in preferred occupations is an individual right.

Methods. …