Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Nursing Education On Pediatric Feeding Therapy, April Ng

Nursing | Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.

What Is An Occupational Science Perspective? Exploring Students’ Experiences And Understandings, Silvia Veiga-Seijo, Michelle Bergin, Rianne Jansens, Fiona Loudoun, Thomas Morgenthaler, Allsion Mula, Sabine Vinçon, Ines Wenger, Karen Mccarthy

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Lotus Project: A Resilience Program For Dominican University Of California Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Melissa Morini, Naema Dahdoul, Ashley Moffett, Regine Erika Saldivar, Viviana Vazquez

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Occupational therapy graduate students and occupational therapy practitioners experience chronic stress, adversity, and are at risk for burnout (de Witt, Monareng, Abraham, Koor, & Saber, 2019). Building a resilience practice early in the OT career has the potential to assist students in overcoming adversity from chronic stressors that could lead to burnout. We developed the L(OT)US project, a resilience program for occupational therapy students at Dominican University of California that consisted of three components: indoor resilience rest and recovery space, outdoor resilience resources box, and social media resources. e gathered feedback from current occupational therapy students who participated in our …

Life After Brain Injury - Family Perspectives, Shaina Snyder, Everlee Anderson, Allison Wyek, Elijah Tolentino-Medios, Cathyisabella Kintanar

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Background: Children who are Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivors experience changes to their occupational engagement and participation in family life. Families and children who are TBI survivors may experience long-term, chronic disabilities, yet these complex experiences are under researched and underserved.

Objective: This research focused on the following questions: What are the lived experiences of children who have survived brain injury and their families upon returning to their homes, schools and communities? What are the helpful and necessary supports and what are the barriers to engaging in meaningful occupations? How can in depth examination of these phenomena better …

Training Program For Occupational Therapists Working With Skilled Caregivers In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Lovegifty Dudero, Mai Huynh, Ridhee Patel

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Dementia impairs one’s ability to live independently and participate in everyday activities (CDC, 2019). Individuals with dementia (IwD) are often referred to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for around-the-clock care to receive support for their everyday challenges brought on by dementia symptoms. Although certified nursing assistants (CNAs) help IwD with everyday self-care tasks, they frequently lack specialized dementia care training. Consequently, CNAs experience low self-efficacy when providing care and managing challenging behaviors IwD may have. OTs have expertise and understanding regarding the stages of dementia and how the symptoms of dementia impact participation in daily occupations. OTs working in SNFs are …

Occupation-Based Cna Program To Build Caregiver Knowledge And Self-Efficacy In Dementia Care, Lucky Ung, Judy Chen, Michelle Hong

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are primary caregivers to individuals with dementia (IwD) who reside in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). CNAs are also expected to know how to provide person-centered and occupation-based care while managing challenging behaviors of IwD without formal training which become sources of strain and stress for CNAs and often leads to feelings of uncertainty and inadequacy (Pelissier et al., 2015). Further research shows that specialized dementia care training programs are beneficial to CNAs in acquiring the knowledge and skills required to provide high quality dementia care and that CNAs prefer the use of a multimodal education program …

Exploring The Occupational Transition Of Leaving A Cult, Justine Thompson, Baylee R. Chelossi, Emily Osborn, Christian J. Quitoriano

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

The emergence of cult groups has introduced a new population for occupational therapists to understand and support through the unique challenges they face after transitioning out of these organizations. While research within the field of psychology is robust, little is known about the occupational transition of individuals who leave cults and how occupational therapists can provide occupational science based intervention. In this study, the frameworks of Doing, Being, Becoming (Wilcock, 2002), and Belonging (Hitch et al., 2014b) were utilized to guide theme development and enrich interpretation of 11 hand-searched first-hand accounts. First-hand accounts were analyzed from multimedia sources such as …

A Qualitative Study On Long-Term Adherence To Home Exercise Programs In People With Parkinson’S Disease, Caroline Stafford, Brennan Decena, Shawn Lopez, Judith Thepkaisone

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Exercise has been found to slow the progression of Parkinson's Disease (PD) symptoms which can increase independence for daily activities and overall quality of life. In order for the benefits of exercise to continue after a program is completed, integration of the exercises into everyday life may lead to long-term adherence. Through the use of semi-structured interviews, this study investigated if increasing facilitators while decreasing barriers improves adherence to home exercise programs, leading to the establishment of exercise integrated habits in People with Parkinson’s Disease (PwPD). This study found that long-term adherence was achieved by participants. The themes related to …

Ots Delivering Culturally Sensitive Care For Dementia Family Caregivers From Diverse Backgrounds, Abraham Lai, Lucy Palacios Mendez, Darren Sarmiento

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

As occupational therapists, addressing key cultural barriers that may obstruct access to dementia care and education for individuals with dementia and their caregivers from diverse backgrounds is a priority for client-centered care. Stress, racial discrimination, and distrust may exacerbate symptoms and prevalence of dementia in certain populations, such as Chinese- Americans and Latinx (Quinones et al. 2020). Immigrants’ experiences of aging and health are diverse due to belonging to different socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups and having varying levels of education and work experience (R. S. 2020). There are existing cultural differences regarding caregiving and family networks, perception and …

Life After Brain Injury - Survivor And Family Perspectives, Brandon Duenas, Gary Eng, Haleli Moalem, Miguel Regidor

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Background: Acquired brain injuries (ABI) is an umbrella term for mild to severe injuries on the brain with different etiologies, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by an external force like a motor vehicle accident, or a non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI) results from an internal force, such as a stroke or aneurysm (Oyesanya, 2017). Current practice trends anchored in traditional rehabilitation models provide the most services and interventions for brain injury survivors (BIS) within the first year post injury. Yet, ABI can have lifelong occupational engagement impacts and there is limited research focused on the brain injury survivor’s (BIS) …

Measuring Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Facilitated In Natural Settings With Young Children, Amie Smith, Deepak Dale, Brinda Saini, Zoe Peters, Amanda Laccone

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

To date, there is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy (OT) services delivered outside in nature. This study explored the benefits of OT intervention in Natural Settings (NS) for children by examining development in the areas of self-regulation, social skills, sensory processing, confidence, and motor skills. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used in this study. Researchers partnered with a local outpatient OT clinic that offers an 8-week outdoor program. Seven children and their parents were recruited and participated in the study. A modified version of the COPM and two BOT-2 subtests, along with a novel log …

Promoting Cultural Arts Access Through Sensory-Friendly Theatre, Chanelle Bautista, Alyssa Cho, Jazmine Cunanan, Ariana Marino, Miko Ramos

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Children with sensory processing differences have “reduced participation in recreational and community activities compared to children with both typical development and other developmental disabilities” due to their difficulties with social communication, and strict social settings (Giserman-Kiss et al., 2020). Sensory-friendly theatre programs aim to dismantle social participation barriers for individuals with sensory processing differences by creating a relaxed theatre experience that includes preparatory materials, environmental modifications, and specialized training (Umeda, 2017). We implemented a pilot sensory-friendly performance of Willy Wonka, Jr. in collaboration with youth actors at the Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, CA on February 13th, 2022. Approximately 80 …

Is Playtime Over? Exploring Socio-Cultural Barriers And Enablers To Adult Playtime, Karen Mccarthy, Sabrina Solis, Leticia Monelli, Catherine Solomon, Rosalind Nolde

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

Measuring Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy Facilitated In Natural Settings With Young Children, Amie Smith, Zoe Peters, Brinda Saini, Deepak Dale, Amanda Laccone

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Student Research Posters

To date, there is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of Occupational Therapy (OT) services delivered outside in nature. This study explored the benefits of OT intervention in Natural Settings (NS) for children by examining development in the areas of self-regulation, social skills, sensory processing, confidence, and motor skills. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used in this study. Researchers partnered with a local outpatient OT clinic that offers an 8-week outdoor program. Seven children and their parents were recruited and participated in the study. A modified version of the COPM and two BOT-2 subtests, along with a novel log …

Evoking The Art Of Nature, Tessa R. Evans Keime

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This international study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of nature-based art therapy, an innovative approach that combines artmaking with the healing power of nature. The research aimed to examine the synergistic effects of nature and artmaking, as well as the impact of the eco-art experience on adult individuals' connectedness to nature, emotional well-being, and existential understanding, while addressing gaps in literature.

Employing an arts-based research design, participants took part in a nature-art-making session, and their experiences were evaluated through pre- and post-art questionnaires, as well as an analysis of their artistic creations by trained inter-raters. The nature art-based experience …

An Exploration Of The Occupational Needs Of College Students, Christian D. Gabon, Jennifer Brady, Kaela Jules Antonio, Kayla Twite Lehnen, Beatriz Go

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

This paper analyzes the barriers and supports for Dominican University of California students in meeting their occupational needs and what services might be beneficial to them. To be able to answer this question, we conducted a survey using convenience sampling with twenty-seven Dominican undergraduate students, interviewed staff, and conducted a focus group with the students who participated in the survey. Our results indicated four main themes which include: occupational needs, barriers to meeting occupational needs, supports to meeting occupational needs, and services recommended. For the implications for occupational therapy, we found that OTs are beneficial in several aspects of students’ …

Relationship Of Resilience Levels: A Survey Of Occupational Therapists, Emily Xiong, Alana Martinez, Makenna Rubinstein, Breeana Montoya, Alexis Perez

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Student Research Posters

Resilience enables practitioners to handle adversity, endure challenging times, and return to an internal equilibrium.2 Little is known about the relationship between practicing occupational therapists’ (OTs) resilience levels and 1) professional identity, 2) burnout, 3) job turnover intention, 4) practice settings, 5) years of practice, 6) age. Understanding these relationships may ultimately inform solutions for addressing resilience, professional identity, and burnout within the OT profession.

Ensuring A Knowledgeable Geriatric Workforce: Interdisciplinary Education In Long-Term Services And Supports, Gina Tucker-Roghi

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

In this symposium, we describe five interdisciplinary educational programs to enhance the geriatric workforce in long-term services and supports (LTSS): Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living, and home health and hospice. The interdisciplinary teams that came together to offer the programs leveraged technology to maximize access to experts in both the curriculum development process and the delivery of the educational programs for a wide range of target learners. The first program, an interdisciplinary telementoring series on dementia care for therapists in SNFs, was developed by a team of experts from occupational, physical and speech therapy. The program included asynchronous online …

Interdisciplinary Telementoring For Therapists In Snfs To Improve Dementia Care Knowledge And Skills, Gina Tucker-Roghi

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Occupational, physical, and speech therapists possess knowledge and skills that have the potential to reduce the burden of care and improve the quality of life of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents living with dementia. Despite this opportunity to impact the well-being of residents with dementia, many therapy practitioners lack specialized training on the management of dementia. Therapy practitioners (n=31) from 22 SNFs participated in eight weekly interdisciplinary educational sessions using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) tele-mentoring model. An interdisciplinary team of therapy experts collaborated on the development of the curriculum, which included didactic content on dementia-care best …

Exploring The Occupational Transition Of Leaving A Cult, Justine Thompson, Baylee R. Chelossi, Emily Osborn, Christian Jan Quitoriano

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.

Systematic Review Brief: Virtual Interventions That Address Motor And Balance Impairments And Skills For Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi) (12-21), Kitsum Li, Beth Fields, Adam Kinney, Olivia Condon, Emilio Villavicencio

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Systematic Review Briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews developed in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA’s) Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each Systematic Review Brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This Systematic Review Brief presents findings from the theme of virtual interventions that address motor and balance impairments and skills for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Physical Activity Interventions That Address Motor And Balance Impairments And Skills For Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi) (2012-2021), Beth Fields, Kitsum Li, Adam Kinney, Olivia Condon, Emilio Villavicencio

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Systematic Review Briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews developed in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA’s) Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each Systematic Review Brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. The systematic review is on interventions to address motor and balance impairments to improve occupational performance for adults with TBI, the theme reported in this Systematic Review Brief is physical activity interventions.

Batok: The Exploration Of Indigenous Filipino Tattooing As A Resistive Collective Occupation, Chelsea Ramirez, Karen Mccarthy, Ana Cabalquinto, Carmela Dizon, Mai Santiago

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Batok (also known as Fatek/Burik/Tatak/Batek/Patik) is an Indigenous Filipino tattooing practice where the practitioner marks the skin by hand-tapping the ink using bone/wood implements. Previous research on tattooing from an occupational science perspective has considered European tattooing and its engagement and implication on the individual. This qualitative research explores how batok is experienced by the person and their identified community. Three Filipino participants with batok, and four family or community members were interviewed. Thematic analysis highlighted three themes recognized as Kapwa, Revealing One’s Batok, and Decolonization and Reclamation as a Cultural Practice. These themes are situated in the lens of …

Exploring The Meaningful Qualities Of Transactions In Virtual Environments For Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Gamers, Karen Mccarthy, Shasta Rice, Amanda Flores, John Miklos, Alex Nold

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

To date, most research on massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) has focused on the effects playing MMORPGs have on players’ health and wellness. The virtual environment of MMORPGs has yet to be explored as a space where meaningful occupations occur. This qualitative descriptive study examined the virtual environment using a transactional perspective to describe the qualities of gaming to which MMORPG players ascribe meaning. Participants included six MMORPG players with experience playing World of Warcraft, Runescape, or Guild Wars 2. Data were gathered using interviews, participant observation, and a focus group, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes were …

Exploring Dating As An Occupation For Young Heterosexual Women In Ireland, Karen Mccarthy, Jeanne Jackson

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Purpose – Dating is a meaningful occupation for many single people. The occupation of dating has transformed considerably in Ireland due to recent changes in Irish culture and the advent of online dating technology. The purpose of this study was to explore the complexities and intricacies of dating in an Irish context.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach was used and data were collected using semi-structured interviews with ten heterosexual women (age 24-34) living in urban areas of Ireland. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006).

Findings – Dating did not fully resonate with their experience, …

Effective Therapies And Nursing Approaches: Improving Cognition In Older Adult Stroke Patients, Selyna Baltazar

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

Ischemic stroke occurs in thousands of older adults throughout the year. Due to the lack of oxygen entering the brain, many patients experience a decline in cognitive function due to ischemic stroke. Cognition is the ability to understand, learn, and remember information which is needed for completing daily tasks. Modern technology has allowed for patients to survive ischemic strokes but has yet to provide proper screening tools and methods for stroke-related cognitive impairment.

Objective

To investigate the best practices for identifying, treating, and caring for patients with a cognitive injury related to a stroke. A review of the research …

Identifying Motivators, Facilitators, And Barriers To Engaging In An Online Fine Motor Exercise Program, Kristine Ricossa, Kyndra Menefee, Lauren Rally, Mia Do, Charis Chan

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Purpose: The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the impact of the motivators, facilitators and barriers for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in engaging in a fine motor exercise program given online. Methods: Using a phenomenological design, a purposive sample of 6 individuals with PD were recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews via zoom with follow up member checks. Data were analyzed through an inductive approach by developing generalizations from themes based on the interview data. Results: Three common themes were developed, ‘integrating and forming habits’, ‘acknowledging participation in exercise can fight the disease’, ‘recognizing improvement in …

Virtual Visitation: Promoting Social Occupations In Dementia Care, Carly Spina, Lizann Jovanovich, Ashley Jones, Pamela Baraceros, Rena Ribeiro

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Approximately two thirds of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) residents in the United States have some form of cognitive impairment such as dementia (Gaugler, et.al, 2014). Care practices in SNFs highlighting safety and therapeutic exercises may further isolate and decrease social opportunities, which can contribute to sensory deprivation in this population and result in lower quality of life (Haigh & Mytton, 2015; Nakamae et al., 2014). COVID-19 visitation restrictions, as well as ongoing barriers of geographical distance, present additional challenges when seeking to engage PLwD residing in SNFs in meaningful social occupations.

Reminiscence has potential to remediate effects of isolation and …

Batok: The Exploration Of Indigenous Filipino Tattooing As A Collective Occupation, Ana Cabalquinto, Carmela Dizon, Chelsea Ramirez, Mai Santiago

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Batok (also known as Fatek/Burik/Tatak/Batek/Patik) is an indigenous Filipino tattooing practice where the practitioner marks the skin by hand-tapping the ink using bone/wood implements. Previous research on tattooing has explored an occupational science perspective on Western tattooing and its engagement and implication on the individual - recognizing its practice to be considered as an occupation (Kay & Brewis, 2017). Framed in theories of Collective Occupation (Ramugondo & Kronenberg, 2015), Doing, Being, Becoming (Wilcock, 2002), and Belonging (Hitch et al., 2014) the research explores how batok as a collective occupation affects the experiences of Filipino communities. Three individual Filipino people with …

Adults With Sensory Defensiveness And Their Use Of Coping Strategies, Cassidy Mccurdy, Sonia Patiño, Julia Mcmahon, Sophia Hagen

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot a questionnaire examining the relationship between sensory defensiveness and coping strategies, as well as establish typical ratings for sensory defensiveness among the adult population. Methods: Through snowball sampling, 91 participants completed the Sensory Response Questionnaire containing 69 questions. Participants’ responses to questions concerning sensations and coping strategies in various situations indicated levels of sensory defensiveness. Levels of sensory defensiveness were determined by mean ratings: < 2 low sensory defensiveness (Low SD), 2-2.5 some sensory defensiveness (Some SD), > 2.5 moderate sensory defensiveness (Moderate SD). Discussion: Kinnealy et al. (1995), estimates that 15% of the population has some level of sensory defensiveness that impacts …