Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Is College Liberating For All Students? The Impact Of Sensory Challenges On Participation Of Students On The Autism Spectrum And With Other Neurodivergent Diagnoses, Sophia Starvaggi, Mary Smith Otr/L, Phd

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Neurodiversity describes unique ways in which an individual's brain works, impacting skills such as executive function, social interaction, communication, and sensory processing. Sensory processing describes the system which receives, processes, organizes, and responds to sensory information received in several environments throughout the day. Sensory sensitivity involves both over- and under-responsiveness to sensory information received, both causing an impact on one’s participation. An occupational area that seems to lack support for sensory challenges is that of postsecondary, or college, settings.

Several policies exist to protect the right to equal education for students with disabilities, however, these protections only last until students …

Happy And Healthy: A Positive Mental Health Program For Early Elementary School-Aged Children, Haleigh Freeman, Angela L. Blackwell, Erik Pérez

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Approximately 17% of children from the ages six to 17 in the U.S. have a treatable mental health disorder, however, of those children, 70% have not received appropriate mental health care to address their mental health problems (MHP) (American Academy of Family Physicians, 2019; Mental Health Foundation, 2016). The severity of MHP identified within the literature points to a distinct need for mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention to address those needs (Albuquerque et al., 2020). Specifically, the need for school-based and after-school based mental health services continues growing at alarming rates (Map, 2013). However, school systems often lack provisions …