Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Chaplains’ Role: Insights And Awareness Through The Lens Of Occupational Therapy, Tamera Keiter Humbert

Faculty Publications

The impetus for this study began with the consideration of what various practitioners have to offer in the delivery of services that attend to the spiritual nature of patients within an interdisciplinary healthcare team. To better understand that perspective, the authors of this study decided to initially investigate the literature specifically related to the role of chaplains to better situate the constructs of spirituality and healthcare. From the reviewed literature, we ascertained the general role and tasks of the chaplain, and the value of interdisciplinary work, albeit primarily with nurses and physicians. Despite these insights, we (all from an occupational …

Effects Of Adaptive Dance On Children: Dance Teachers’ Perspectives, Isobelle Hughes

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Dance is an art, sport, and passion able to be enjoyed and benefited by all ages. The benefits include increased motor, cognitive, emotional, and social skills, and more (Demers, Thomas, Wittich, McKinley, 2015). This study gathered initial research regarding the effects of dance on children with disabilities as well as children of typical development and the aging population. The researcher conducted interviewed teachers of adaptive dance programs regarding their perspectives on the benefits, challenges, goals, and the impact of an occupational therapy career on teaching, as applicable. Teachers were interviewed via video or phone call and audio transcriptions were used …

The Use Of Yoga In Occupational Therapy For Neurologically Involved Clients, Madison Tyrrell

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Living with the long-lasting effects of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), also known as stroke, has become a reality for millions of Americans in the United States. Reduced upper and lower extremity function, decreased balance and problematic mobility, and reduced daily independence are only a few residual symptoms which can affect function and quality of life for those affected by stroke. Over seven million Americans, ages 20 or older, self-reported having had a stroke in 2018 (The American Heart Association, 2018). Projections indicate that by 2030, an additional 3.4 million Americans over the age of 18 will have had a stroke …

A Structured Soccer Program Designed To Aid In The Development Of Children With Autism, Lydia Lawson

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disorder characterized by deficits or impairments in social, cognitive, and motor abilities. These developmental deficits often separate children with ASD from their typically developing peers. Children with autism often refrain from or struggle to take part in play. This is because of the deficits they experience and because there are limited opportunities that foster situations for them to be successful in play. Incorporating play into intervention has been shown to be effective with this population. Participation in play allows for motor skill development, social interactions, and often cognitive stimulation. It is necessary to have …

Elementary School Teacher's Perception Of Occupational Therapy, Sarah Guttman

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Low literacy levels in childhood cause detrimental, lifelong effects. Intervention services provided to struggling readers are currently limited. A preliminary study was conducted following a mixed methods approach to explore teacher perception of the benefits of occupational therapy intervention in the Response to Intervention model for reading delays.

Research questions were as follows: 1. To the teacher’s knowledge, are occupational therapy services currently available to students in the Response to Intervention model? 2. Do teachers perceive occupational therapy intervention within the Response to Intervention model beneficial for reading delays?

Data was collected via an electronic survey. Sixty-seven participant responses were …

Factors Influencing Occupational Therapists’ Choice In Work Settings, Olivia Geiger

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

There are a multitude of settings for newly graduated occupational therapists (OTs) to work. According to The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the majority of OTs work in direct client intervention instead of indirect or administration, consultation, or research roles (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2019). The top work settings for direct client interventions in occupational therapy (OT) are currently long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, freestanding outpatient centers, hospitals with acute and inpatient care, and school settings, with 74%, 70.4%, 70%, and 60.8% of the OTs working in those settings working, respectively (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2019).

In addition, work …

Investigating The Impact Of College Stress And Utilization Of Campus Wellness Services Through An Occupational Health Lens, Hannah Paymer

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Stress is a universal experience. For many people attending college during the period of emerging adulthood, stress can be a pressing daily occurrence. Shearer et al. (2016)[1] put it succinctly: “college is stressful” (p. 233). As a college student majoring in occupational therapy, I have both studied and experienced the pressure and effects of stress on myself and my peers. With the prevalence of stress throughout college campuses and methods to combat this stress, there is limited research regarding the reason that students participate in wellness options. I am doing research on the wellness options that students select and their …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Supporting Caregivers Of Children With Cerebral Palsy, Kaitlyn Knecht

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Caregiving for one’s child is a complex occupation with a wide-reaching impact on an individual’s life (Dieleman, Vlaenderen, Prinzie, & Pauw, 2019). Guardians have unique emotional needs consequent to their caregiving role but receive inconsistent treatment from healthcare professionals (Porfíro Santos Pinto, Duarte Coutinho, & Collet, 2016). This study aimed to understand the perceived psychosocial needs of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP), identify support services for these caregivers and evaluate their effectiveness, and determine how occupational therapists (OTs) can most effectively address these needs. Caregivers of children with CP engaged in semi-structured interviews to explore their perceived needs …

Exploring The Experiences After Traumatic Brain Injury, Katherine Kruis

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Grief and the experiences associated with adapting to life after a life changing injury are researched and reported in detail in regard to individuals sustaining spinal cord injuries and amputations, but there is significantly less evidence presented on the experiences that people go through after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). There is some empirical information on the experience of the family of the person who experienced the TBI and about the symptoms of TBI. While this is important, it is also imperative to understand the experiences and emotions that people with a TBI have as they go through the rehabilitation …

Support Networks, Students With Disabilities, And Social And Academic Contexts In A School Environment : A Scoping Review, Meghan Matje

Occupational Therapy: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 7 million students are receiving special education services as of the 2017-2018 school year (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). That still does not include students with undeclared or undiagnosed disabilities in school. These students are at a disadvantage when it comes to participating in a school environment because students with disabilities tend to struggle more than typical students with social and academic aspects in school (Lackaye & Margalit, 2006).

The National Center for Learning Disabilities states that students with learning disabilities are often misunderstood and are ineffectively taught by untrained educators, …