Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Making Waves In Occupation: Advancing Ot Practice Through Aquatic Therapy, Maria E. Luciano

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This doctoral capstone project focused on enhancing the role of occupational therapy (OT) in aquatic therapy through education, advocacy, and clinical practice. Conducted at a YMCA pool in Richmond, KY, the project aimed to increase OT practitioner competence and confidence in delivering aquatic therapy to adults and older adults. Primary goals included developing an educational plan to support occupational performance for aquatic therapy participants, creating a website with OT-specific aquatic therapy resources, and equipping OT students with guidance on entering this nontraditional practice area. A literature review revealed a lack of OT-specific aquatic therapy resources despite evidence supporting its benefits. …

Enhancing Postpartum Care Through Occupational Therapy: Supporting Program Growth, Expanding Resources, And Strengthening Practice, Breanna Hamrick

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

During my doctoral capstone, I partnered with Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska to support the recent addition of occupational therapy services on the hospital’s mother/baby unit. The project focused on program development and education to address the unique needs of postpartum women in the acute care setting and advocate for OT’s role in this emerging area.

Following a literature review and needs assessment, the project identified a significant gap in postpartum OT services—only 84 of 2,158 U.S. hospitals currently offer these services (Pelvic Health Network, n.d.). High readmission rates from postpartum complications such as infection, preeclampsia, and cardiovascular issues …

Occupational Balance In Relation To Therapist Threshold, Caroline Crump

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

My Capstone/Applied Learning Experience took place at Foundation Hand and Physical Therapy in Richmond, Kentucky. The primary ACOTE focus areas that were used within my study was Education, Research and Clinical Practice. The goal of this research was to investigate any correlations between occupational balance and therapist threshold in the outpatient rehabilitation setting. It was important to be able to investigate both Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists to determine factors that related to a clinician’s personal occupational balance and therapist threshold. These factors were able to be addressed by this study through further researching the ways clinicians view occupational balance …

Building Awareness, Access, And Advocacy Through Kham's Klub, Morgan E. Guidry

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

During my doctoral capstone and applied leadership experience, I partnered with
Kham’s Klub, a nonprofit in Richmond, Kentucky, whose mission is to empower and
elevate families with autism. The project's primary ACOTE focus area is program
development, education, and advocacy within a community-based setting. The aim of this project was to strengthen the organization’s capacity to promote early diagnosis, provide support for inclusive environments at Kham’s Klub events and cultivate donor and community engagement. Through literature review and collaboration with the founders/CEO of Kham’s Klub Non-profit for Autism there were gaps revealed in caregiver understanding of autism, limited community participation, …

Safe Patient Handling Training For Radiologic Technologists In Acute Care, Dana Newland

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project took place at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital where I worked closely with the quality and safety director of the UK’s Department of Radiology. The purpose of this project was to develop educational resources to educate radiology staff regarding safe patient handling when performing daily activities such as patient transfers and patient positioning to reduce staff injuries and prevent patient falls. Additional goals consisted of how to safely handle a falling patient and the implementation and use of gait belts within the radiology department. After reviewing the department’s staff injury data and developing a …

The Art Of Belonging: Group Interventions For Social Engagement In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Grace Perry

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This Capstone project focused on developing a group art-based therapy program for older adults in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), aiming to enhance social engagement and quality of life through weekly creative sessions. Activities were inclusive and adaptable, supporting residents with physical and cognitive impairments. The program included a binder of weekly activity plans, supply lists, adaptive strategies, and conversation prompts. Over nine weeks, sessions were held twice weekly with 4–6 residents per group. Completed artwork became meaningful keepsakes often displayed in residents’ rooms. Participation, engagement, and feedback were tracked throughout. The experience fostered significant personal and professional growth, deepening …

Promoting Inclusion: Creating A Sensory Space In A Local Church, Ashleigh N. Dotson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project took place at a local church, The Creek, in London, KY. Specifically, this project took place within the Kid’s church area. The ACOTE focus areas for this project were program development, education, and advocacy. The goals of this Capstone/ALE project were to learn more about and better understand the sensory system and how it works; to create a sensory room for children with disabilities who may need to regulate their sensory system; to create resources and educational guides for adults and volunteers who may be in the sensory room to guide them on the appropriate ways to …

Feeding Futures: Empowering Families Through Pediatric Feeding Therapy, Hannah Grace Wesley

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project, completed at Marshall Pediatric Therapy, focused on developing structured, accessible resources to support caregiver engagement and improve consistency in pediatric feeding therapy, aligning with ACOTE’s emphasis on program development. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed by the fast pace of sessions and struggle to recall and implement strategies at home, where most feeding takes place (Carpenter & Garfinkel, 2021). To address this, I conducted a needs assessment, literature review, therapist interviews, and a SWOT analysis to guide the development of resources that improve carryover and caregiver confidence. Deliverables included a structured home program with a developmental feeding continuum, weekly …

Regulation & Resilience: A Toolkit To Promote Pediatric Mental Health Within An Outpatient Setting, Aysia Crumbie

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The purpose of this doctoral ALE/Capstone project was to develop a pediatric mental health toolkit for clinicians to utilize at my site, the Georgetown Pediatric Therapy Center in Georgetown, Kentucky. The primary ACOTE areas of focus were education, advocacy, and program development. I collaborated with the two occupational therapists at the site to achieve the goals of 1) developing a pediatric mental health toolkit grounded in evidence, clinical use, and clinician feedback, 2) supporting clinician consistency and confidence when addressing mental health in sessions, and 3) providing accessible caregiver resources to support strategy carryover at home. A needs assessment was …

Improving Dementia Care Practices In The Swing Bed Program, Grace Donahue

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

For my capstone/ALE, I partnered with the therapy team at CHI St. Joseph Berea’s Swing Bed Program to improve communication and care strategies for patients with dementia or cognitive impairments. My project focused on ACOTE areas of program development, education, and advocacy in an acute care setting. The goal was to implement dementia-friendly communication practices and promote meaningful engagement through activity toolboxes.The Swing Bed Program supports patients recovering from acute hospital stays who are not yet ready to return home. During my time there, I observed a lack of structured, personalized activities for patients, despite regulatory expectations for enrichment. My …

Beyond The Clinic: Developing An Animal-Assisted Therapy Program For School-Based Ot, Shelby R. Frazier

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project was created to equip Pineville Independent Schools, located in rural Kentucky, with the tools and strategies needed to implement and sustain an Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) program within their occupational therapy services. Although the district uniquely employs both a licensed occupational therapist and a veterinarian who teaches animal care and vocational skills to students, neither professional had experience with AAT or knowledge of its potential integration within the school system. This revealed a significant gap and an opportunity for innovative program development in a rural educational setting. The primary goals were to design a school-based AAT framework that …

Meaningful Participation Matters: Evaluating Resident Engagement In A Senior Living Activity Program, Mary C. Caudill

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project evaluated and improved the life enrichment program at Dominion Senior Living, an assisted living facility serving older adults, including those in memory care. Centered on the ACOTE focus area of program development, the project aimed to promote meaningful, accessible engagement through an occupational therapy lens.

Goals included assessing current activity effectiveness, identifying participation barriers, and developing evidence-based recommendations to improve variety, inclusivity, and therapeutic value. A needs assessment—using resident surveys, staff feedback, and structured observations—revealed low engagement among memory care and male residents, limited activity variety, and insufficient opportunities for meaningful social interaction. A literature review supported …

Exploring Occupational Therapy Students’ Coping Strategies And Styles, Ashley E. Stroud, Amanda J. Mohler, Amanda M. Carpenter

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study aimed to determine occupational therapy students’ coping strategies and styles to manage stress. The final sample included 160 students, with 39 master of occupational therapy (MOT) students and 121 occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students who were currently enrolled in an MOT or OTD program. This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive survey. The survey included both closed-ended and open-ended items to provide a greater insight into occupational therapy graduate students’ stressors, coping strategies, and coping styles. Results of the survey showed the most frequently reported coping strategies for both programs were emotional support, instrumental support, self-blame, and religion. The …

Assessing The Impact: Retrospective Analysis Of Department Initiatives On Students' Success In Standalone Occupational Therapy Anatomy Course, Rebecca Ozelie, Saba Elothman, Bridget Hahn

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Student success in anatomy courses is critical for entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs, yet many students struggle to master this foundational subject. Research on effective academic interventions to support anatomy learning in OTD programs is limited, leaving a gap in understanding the impact of supplemental resources. This study examined the effectiveness of targeted academic interventions, such as an anatomy bootcamp, peer-led tutoring, and the Anatomage Table for virtual dissection, in improving student performance in a standalone anatomy course. A retrospective cohort design compared two groups of students enrolled in the course during Fall 2022 (FA22; n=36) and Fall 2023 …

Disparities Between Reported And Actual Study Habits And Perceptions Among First Year Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Melisa P. Kaye, Marcella Mccollum, Sydney Hanzalik

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Studying for exams forms a significant part of the occupational therapy graduate school experience. While successful completion of exams is a central focus for students, little time is devoted to explicitly teaching new graduate students how to most effectively study. Instead, when they enter their occupational therapy programs, students experience a steep learning curve, and often rely on previous habits or trial and error to discover the most efficacious study strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the study behaviors, habits, and beliefs of new graduate students to gain insight into the prevalence of use of various study …

Effect Of An Elective On Preparation For Fieldwork In An Acute Care Setting, Abbey Glenn, Brandi Fulwider

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The current study evaluated the effect of an eight-day elective course on preparedness for the acute care setting. The course was offered to Master of Science in occupational therapy students before their second Level II fieldwork experience and focused on developing necessary skills for success in acute care. Course content was based on feedback from previous students, fieldwork educators in acute care, and faculty experiences in that setting. Specifically, the course combined case-based and skills-based simulations to help students develop skills and to build confidence. Small group activities involving role-playing communication scenarios were also included, where students played the role …

Belonging And The Lived Experiences Of Underrepresented Occupational Therapy Students, Daniel Cezar Da Cruz, Angela Murphy, Zara Mahmood

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging has been explored in research in higher education with a focus on student engagement or performance and the impact of psychological aspects on individuals' learning. Few studies focused on underrepresented occupational therapy students’ belonging. Our research aimed to explore the lived experience of occupational therapy students regarding belonging at university. This phenomenological study was conducted with six occupational therapy students from the United Kingdom who volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out through Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Three themes were constructed: Theme 1: Representation and belonging - “I was the only non-white person in the …

Work Readiness Among Occupational Therapy Students In The Usa: Associations With Approaches To Studying, Adele Breen-Franklin, Colleen M. Maher, Tore Bonsaksen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Previous studies have looked at the association between study approaches and student grades with a focus on deep, strategic, and surface learning. This study used a cross-sectional design to examine the association between study approaches and students’ feelings of readiness to practice. Thirty-five students in master’s and clinical doctoral programs completed the Work Readiness Scale and the short 18-item version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Using a linear regression analysis, higher scores on the strategic study approach (β=0.38, p<0.05) and lower scores on the surface study approach (β=-0.44, p<0.05) were associated with higher scores on the Work Readiness Scale. Studying harder (i.e. spending more hours studying) was not related to feeling ready to practice. Rather, studying wisely, meaning using a strategic approach to studying and avoiding using a surface approach, was associated with students’ increased feeling of readiness to practice.

Naming The Invisible: Exploring Implicit Design Thinking In Occupational Therapy Curricula, Dominique C. Sherratt, Mary Butler, Shoshannah Kiriam, Ben Sellar

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy inherently involves the application of design and co-design skills within professional practice, yet there is limited evidence about how these skills are taught to students. This study used a qualitative descriptive design to explore the perspectives of occupational therapy educators in Australia and New Zealand on how and where design and co-design skills are integrated within occupational therapy curricula. Educators were purposively sampled from the Australian and New Zealand Council of Occupational Therapy Educators (ANZCOTE), with additional participants recruited through snowball sampling. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with occupational therapy educators. Interviews were conducted and analyzed using the …

Current Practices In Implementing The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Needs Assessment: A National Survey, Laurie D. Stelter, Kaitlyn Cremer, Lou Rutigliano, Leslye Morris, Lima Ghulmi, Ana Allegretti

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs navigate curricular decisions related to designing, implementing, and refining doctoral capstone processes. One of the complex requirements is the doctoral capstone needs assessment (DCNA) which each student completes prior to the implementation of the doctoral capstone project. The researchers aimed to contribute to the specificity of DCNA-related understanding, informing quality decision-making, via a national, cross-sectional survey of current DCNA practices. Purposive sampling resulted in a 24.3% (n=54) response rate of mostly Doctoral Capstone Coordinators (DCCs; 98.1%) representing programs across doctoral capstone experience levels. The timing of DCNA processes trended toward the latter half of …

How Identities Shape Belonging In Occupational Therapy Education: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Student Belonging, Quinn P. Tyminski, Rowhea Elmesky

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging is defined in a variety of ways but most often refers to an individual’s feelings of acceptance, inclusion, support, and respect within a certain environment. Belonging is an innate human need and contributes to success in academic and professional settings. Within occupational therapy (OT) education, minimal attention has been paid to the specific concept of belonging with no research focused on long-term qualitative explorations of student belonging for students with historically minoritized identities (HMIs). Thus, the goal of the present study was to better understand how students with multiple HMIs experienced the phenomenon of belonging in OT education. Utilizing …

Evidence-Informed Teaching Practices Across Faculty Terminal Degree Categories, Steven D. Taff, Meredith Gronski, Yejin Lee, Ashley Stoffel, Theresa Carlson Carroll, Jenica Lee, Carolyn M. Baum

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many faculty spend a considerable proportion of their time and effort in teaching, yet intentional preparation for this important responsibility is rare. Currently, there exists no standard guidance for which content areas or competencies are necessary for quality educator development as they perform the various faculty roles. In this descriptive study, we surveyed 334 occupational therapy/ occupational therapy assistant (OT/OTA) faculty from across the United States using a 53-item instrument that explored to what degree do OT/OTA faculty use and document evidence-informed teaching practices and if the use of evidence-informed teaching practices differs across faculty terminal degree category (entry-level occupational …

Evaluating Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education And Practice: A Qualitative Swot Study In The Philippines, Paolo Miguel P. Bulan, Janice A. Rojas, John Ray O. Suerte, Nikki Y. Pestaño, Maria Menierva G. Lagria, Cristito P. Dimitiman Jr., April Grace A. Chiongbian, Frances Vince E. Dimitiman, Martina Nicole A. Ligutom, Debbie Rose D. Cabañero, Jay Arr M. Sale

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy education plays a pivotal role in equipping professionals to meet the dynamic demands of healthcare systems. This study evaluated the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (BSOT) program at Velez College in the Philippines, utilizing a qualitative analysis framework to explore its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) as perceived by educators, students, alumni, and practitioners. Findings highlight the program’s robust generalist curriculum, strong community-based partnerships, and interprofessional collaboration opportunities. However, challenges such as limited access to standardized assessment tools, high educator turnover, and insufficient specialization opportunities were identified. Notably, emerging demands in mental health and holistic care …

Student Psychosocial Well-Being And Burnout During Level Ii Fieldwork: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Analysis, Grace V. Perry, Katherine F. Varughese, Yongyue Qi, Cary Moore, Vanessa D. Jewell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence fieldwork educator support has on stress, burnout, and self-efficacy, and examine how both students and fieldwork educators support student psychosocial well-being and protective factors during Level II fieldwork (FWII). An explanatory sequential mixed method design was used, including a student cross-sectional survey (n=129) followed by one student (n=5) and two fieldwork educator focus groups (n=12). Outcome measures utilized for the cross-sectional survey included the Perceived Stress Scale, self-developed Perceived Fieldwork Educator Support Questionnaire, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results showed that statistically significant correlations existed among perceived …

Barriers And Facilitators Of A Sense Of Belonging Among Occupational Therapy Students And Faculty: A Qualitative Study Using The Ecology Of Human Performance Framework, Sabina Khan, Elizabeth Deluca-Berg, Kersten Laughlin, Jacqueline Achon, Khalil Mrabe, Christianah Edema

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A sense of belonging significantly influences both student engagement and faculty motivation. The objective of this study was to identify the barriers and facilitators of a sense of belonging among students and faculty of an occupational therapy department. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with fifty-one students and ten faculty recruited via non-random purposeful sampling. Data were collected through focus group discussions with students and semi-structured interviews with faculty. Both the focus group discussions and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by a professional transcription service. Inductive coding was used to identify initial themes, which were then deductively mapped to the …

Identifying, Organizing, And Prioritizing Ideas On How To Support The Entangled Relation Between Theory And Practice In Occupational Therapy Education: A Group Concept Mapping Study, Rina Juel Kaptain, Jacob Østergaard Madsen, Anna Marie Lassen, Kristina Tomra Nielsen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Transfer of learning from an academic setting to clinical practice and vice versa represents a challenge. The aim of this study was therefore to identify, organize, and prioritize ideas on how to support the entangled relation between theory and practice in occupational therapy (OT) education. To gain broad perspectives on the topic, Group Concept Mapping (GCM) was applied among OT students, lecturers, and fieldwork educators. GCM included six phases: Preparing (formulating a focus prompt), Generating ideas (brainstorming based on focus prompt: “To support the relation between theoretical and practical elements in the OT program there is a need for.. …

The Impact Of A Multi-Method Approach For Ethics Education On Occupational Therapy Students’ Self-Efficacy And Confidence, Brittany Nash, Jeffery Etheridge, Sierra Sosa, Verenice Macias, Araya Bradley, Kayla C. Osowski, Natalie Cornwell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a multi-method approach for ethics education. The investigators measured occupational therapy (OT) students’ self-efficacy for ethical decision-making and explored their perception of what contributed to their confidence in understanding the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) 2020 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics. This one-group mixed methods study included twenty Master of OT students. Self-efficacy was measured via a pre-test and post-test using an adapted version of the New General Self-Efficacy Scale, and open-ended questions captured data regarding student perceptions of what contributed to their confidence. Students presented with high …

An Environmental Scan Of Preparation For Occupational Therapy Intraprofessional Collaboration In Ontario, Teresa R. Avvampato, Mark Hall, Dianna Fong-Lee, Marcia Finlayson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Intraprofessional collaboration between occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapist assistants (OTAs) is important for safe, effective, and efficient occupational therapy services. However, challenges such as role misunderstandings in Canada exist, which impact OT-OTA intraprofessional collaboration and the quality of care provided. This study aimed to reveal the OT-OTA intraprofessional collaboration preparation taking place in Ontario, Canada, during entry-to-practice education. An explanatory sequential environmental scan was conducted, which involved a survey distributed to OT and OTA educators, followed by six focus groups: two with OT educators, two with OTA educators, and two with OT and OTA recent graduates. Key findings revealed …

Enhancing Intraprofessional Collaboration: A Quantitative Study On The Impact Of Paired Learning In Ot And Ota Programs, Chia-Wei Fan, Vicki Case

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study investigated the impact of pairing 112 occupational therapy (OT) and 66 occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students in small groups over a 13-week clinical skills class. Students worked together in the weekly 2-hour class to practice various clinical skills and had the option to attend an additional weekly 2-hour open lab. A repeated measures design was used to evaluate students’ perceived importance and ability to engage in intraprofessional collaboration based on the Kirkpatrick model. The Intraprofessional Collaborative Practice Survey (ICPS) was administered at three time points: the beginning (T1), the middle (T2), and the end of the trimester (T3) …

Design Thinking As A Theoretical Framework To Spark Innovation In Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral Projects, Jessica D. Asiello, Sunny R. Winstead

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Contemporary occupational therapy (OT) practice is situated within healthcare, education, and community-based systems faced with increasingly complex problems. There is therefore a need to develop OT practitioners’ capacity for innovation to influence change. Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PPOTD) students are seasoned clinicians with an understanding of the challenges of everyday practice, combined with an intrinsic motivation for professional growth that led to their return to higher education. Thus, PPOTD students are a sub-population of OT practitioners who are uniquely primed for development as innovators. Despite the prevalence of PPOTD programs in the United States, there is limited literature on …