Occupational Therapy Commons^™

“I Had To Adapt To Continue Being A Student To The Best Of My Ability”: Identifying Occupational Therapy Students’ Processes Of Adapting To Academic Disruption, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Linda M. Olson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In the wake of COVID-19, practitioners, educators, and students had to shift to virtual interactions while experiencing significant unknowns and valid fears. This project describes the lived experiences of 37 occupational therapy students who lived through this international pandemic examining their reflections of how occupational therapy theories and models of practice could inform approaches to adapt to the changing context of their lives. Narratives of students collected as part of routine educational assessments in an introduction to occupational therapy theory course were examined using methods of content analysis to understand the perspectives of students’ needs, supports, and mechanisms of adaption …

Community-Based Ot Program Planning: A Virtual Level Ii Fieldwork Program Developed In Response To The Global Pandemic, Tara Collins, Virginia E. Koenig, Stephanie J. Wong, Michelle Buccinna, Rena B. Purohit, Shifra K. Leiser, Debra Cullinane

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this article is to explain how an occupational therapy (OT) program in a university setting developed a virtual Level II community-based fieldwork program in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This virtual fieldwork program, guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEED Planning Model (PPM), was designed to help keep students on track with their academic goals while providing them with experiential learning that would increase their confidence in OT program planning and promote their professional development. Outcome measures for this study consisted of a pre-and post-fieldwork survey that asked participants to rank their self-perceived confidence in five distinct areas of …

Improving Empathy Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Reading Literary Narratives, Cavenaugh Kelly

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the impact of teaching empathy to occupational therapy students through the close reading of literary narratives. The study defined empathy as a dynamic process involving Theory of Mind (ToM), emotional resonance, and empathy as a willful act. Empathy is an espoused value of occupational therapy challenged by the modern demands of the market-driven health care system, and research suggests reading literary narratives, or stories with qualities of literature, facilitates greater empathy. Prior studies have also indicated that practicing with greater empathy improves health outcomes and makes occupational therapy sessions more client centered. In this study, a quasi-experimental …

Seltec: Service And Experiential Learning Through Engagement In The Community: A Level I Fieldwork Model: Part 2, Amanda J. Mohler, Andrea B. Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The SELTEC model of Level I fieldwork was developed and published in 2020. The SELTEC model combines service and experiential learning to benefit student learners, the educational system, and the community. The purpose of the study was to determine students’ perceptions of a SELTEC model experience compared to a traditional Level I fieldwork experience. The research team administered a 24-item survey to thirty students who participated in the study. All participants received both a traditional one-week and SELTEC level I fieldwork experience during their occupational therapy education at Arkansas State University. Seventy-nine percent (n=23) of the respondents selected the SELTEC …

An Exploration Of The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone: Perspectives From Capstone Coordinators, Graduates, And Site Mentors, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez, Autumn Clegg, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Danielle Friberg

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Few studies have investigated entry-level doctoral capstone outcomes regarding how the experience and project relate to employment opportunities. This descriptive study reports various stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) capstone in relation to employment opportunities and awareness of the profession. Authors disseminated a nationwide survey to doctoral capstone coordinators, entry-level OTD graduates, and capstone site mentors. Ten doctoral capstone coordinators, 68 OTD graduates, and 22 capstone site mentors responded to the survey. Collectively, doctoral capstone coordinators reported that 117 OTD graduates obtained employment in a setting related to the focus of their doctoral capstone and gave examples …

Validation Of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (Osce) Based On The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (Otpf): A Pilot Study, Marzieh Pashmdarfard, Afsoon Hassani Mehraban, Narges Shafaroodi, Kamran Soltani Arabshahi, Soroor Parvizy, Akram Azad, Samaneh Karamali Esmaeili

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is an integral part of the educational process in occupational therapy and assessing student competency at the end of fieldwork is important. The aim of this study was to design and conduct an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) for occupational therapy students on Level II fieldwork in Iran. A seven-station OSCE was designed and conducted with 13 students. Face and content validity of the exam scenarios and grading checklists was assessed via faculty review. The correlation between scores from each station and total OSCE scores were obtained to assess construct …

Level I Fieldwork Using Simulation: Student Performance Outcomes And Perceptions, Nicole C. Harris, Sarah Nielsen, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions and performance outcomes of a virtual fieldwork using Simucase® in conjunction with supplemental activities and debriefing opportunities. The simulation replaced Level I clinic-based fieldwork experiences that were cancelled due to COVID-19. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a modified evaluation tool to assess student performance outcomes and perceptions for students in the Year one Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) cohort (n=57) and the Year two Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) cohort (n=57) enrolled in a public university in the rural Midwest. Student ratings were compared using chi-square test of independence …

Development And Content Validity Of The Personal-Professional Development Tool For Occupational Therapy Students During Community-Based Service Learning, Michaela Fraser, Pat Precin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

As community-based service-learning becomes more widely used in occupational therapy (OT) education, valid and reliable outcome measures are needed to ensure that student learning outcomes are meaningfully and consistently measured. Currently, educators may use instructor-developed questionnaires that have not been validated or employ narrowly focused or overly prescriptive surveys borrowed from other disciplines that may not fully capture the skills that are necessary for competent entry-level practice. Grounded in the Occupational Adaptation Model, the Personal-Professional Development Tool (PPDT) was developed to meet this need. The PPDT was designed as a non-normative, self-referential rating scale that OT students use to set …

A Case Study On Special Education And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan Cercone

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this qualitative project is to explore the implications of online public schooling for a student with special needs, how this type of teaching impacted his individualized education plan (IEP), and investigate solutions to the consequences of the pandemic for special education. I am specifically interested in how the student's online education may have affected his progress in the physical, occupational, and speech therapy services he typically receives in school as required by his IEP. This project entails interviews of the parents and school-based occupational therapists of a child with special needs to examine the impact online schooling …

Stimming Expresses Empathy, Not To Be Masked Or Persecuted: A Scoping Review And Case Study Of The “Double-Empathy Problem” Solved By Recognizing The Autism Language, Kathryn Haas

Student Capstone Papers

This article critically examines autism and autistic stimming through the lenses of neurotypicals and autistics, evaluates confines currently imposed upon autistics by neurotypical society, and synthesizes what autistic leaders have expressed about their experiences striving for inclusion (Gernsbacher, 2017; Milton, 2012). Autistic-led studies are now at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement and are growing in fervor. The following themes were identified: (a) prevalence of autism, (b) the interpretation and measurement of empathy, (c) discovery of genetic factors transformed autistics’ identity, (d) publication of non-genetic factors such as vaccines undermined the legitimacy of the autism language, (e) the problem with …

Role Of School-Based Occupational Therapy Practitioners: Perspectives From Teachers And Ots, Kristen A. Ollison, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Lisa Schubert

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Schools are the third largest employer of occupational therapists (OTs) in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). Occupational Therapists have the distinctive ability to observe the child in their natural context of the school, a place where children participate in a variety of activities (Benson et al., 2015). The problem is that there continues to be discrepancies in the understanding and utilization of OT services in the school setting that affect the perceptions of both OTs and teachers regarding the OT role in school, and general service provision (Bolton & Plattner, 2020; Seruya & Garfinkel, 2020; Truong …

Culture Change For Occupational Therapists On Safe Patient Handling And Mobility (Sphm): Advocacy For Sphm Policies For A National Organization., Guldana Alizakhova, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Lisa Schubert

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Safe patient handling and mobility is an ergonomic approach consisting of policies, programs, and equipment to reduce WMSD and facilitate a culture of safety among patients and healthcare practitioners. Due to occupational therapy’s established role in ergonomics, practitioners are skilled to utilize SPHM to provide evaluative, consultative, preventative, and therapeutic services to patients while preventing WMSDs to healthcare practitioners. Despite OT’s contributions to SPHM, occupational therapy practitioners are not recognized as leaders in SPHM. To address this problem, in the Spring 2021 meeting, the AOTA Representative Assembly was presented a request for action by a taskforce that also recognized this …

The Path A Pilot Program Bringing The Hero S Journey To Occupational Therapy, Cole Milkovich, Susan Macdermott

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The "Hero’s Journey" is a powerful narrative therapy tool that uses the hero metaphor to help clients reframe their life circumstances (Robertson & Lawrence, 2015; Williams, 2017). However, this concept has only been utilized in the department of psychology. Occupational therapists utilize narrative reasoning to guide client-heroes through a rehabilitative rite of passage through the collaboration (Kelly, 2007). As mentors, clinicians assist client-heroes to create their stories that will be acted out to reflect their identity. Therefore, the therapeutic process aims to empower the client and enact a real positive storyline through meaningful occupation (Clark, 1993; Mattingly, 1998).

The challenge …

Implementation Of Strategic Supports Into Coursework To Improve Notetaking Abilities And Overall Ota Student Success, Cheyenne M. Murphy

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Notetaking is a widespread practice utilized by students to capture valuable information mentioned throughout lectures, readings, and other supplementary instruction. Practices of notetaking can vary based on educational level and the student’s ability to take notes throughout their educational career. More specifically, the ability to take strategic notes is recognized as an important skill needed in a higher educational setting in relation to a students’ overall success (Salame & Thompson, 2020). When examining the effect of notetaking, earlier studies focused solely on the practice and utilization of notetaking (Rahmani & Sadeghi, 2011). The objective of this culminating project is research …

Using A Social Support Group To Educate And Empower Immigrant Latina Women, Diana N. Rendon

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to promote mental health education and access to vulnerable South Florida Latina Women. The original intent was to establish a program providing families with mental health education, including information about common mental illnesses, signs and symptoms, community resources, and the impacts on occupations. This capstone experience was conducted with the Magnolias Women's Support Group at Caridad Center, located in Palm Beach County, Florida. The focus areas of this capstone were advocacy, policy and program development, and administration. Furthermore, this capstone project was intended to promote health literacy for underserved populations, especially immigrant women.

Implementation And Efficacy Of Interprofessional Education (Ipe) Initiatives, Javed A. Mohammed

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The literature demonstrates many benefits of interprofessional education (IPE) simulations in various types of formats that facilitate greater student knowledge and understanding of professions outside their own (O’Hara et al., 2018; Clauser et al., 2020; Cooper, Spencer-Dawe & Mclean, 2005; Djukic et al., 2015; Lazinski et al., 2021). The goals of my doctoral capstone experience (DCE) were to: 1) Develop IPE curriculum and active learning sessions along with assessment plans for professional programs on the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) – Tampa Bay Regional Campus with emphasis on advocacy for the occupational therapy (OT) profession, 2) Lead educational opportunities for students …

Exploring Simulation Design For Mental Health Practice Preparation: A Pilot Study With Learners And Preceptors, Diane E. Mackenzie, Niki Kiepek, Leanne Picketts, Stephanie Zubriski, Karen Landry, Jonathan Harris

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to determine the feasibility of delivering mental health practice simulations for occupational therapy learners, and whether different debriefing approaches yielded performance differences over successive simulations. Five clinical preceptors and nine first year MScOT students participated in this mixed-method study. In week one simulations, one student group received preceptor facilitated debriefing while the other group used self-debriefing. Both groups used the same scripted questions informed by an advocacy-inquiry approach. In the second week, both groups received the preceptor-led debriefing. Preceptors rated student performances while students self-rated their confidence, competence screen, and satisfaction using …

Bridge To The Future: A Career Exploration Frame Of Reference For Students With Disabilities, Chia-Yang Chiang, Tsu-Hsin Howe

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Exploring and facilitating the transition process from school to employment for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), especially those still in the school system, has now become an important concern for researchers, educators, and service providers working in this area. The Bridge to the Future (BTTF) Frame of Reference offers a new approach to facilitate the school-to-work transition for secondary school students with IDD in a self-contained classroom setting by adopting the Social Cognitive Career Theory and Self-Determination Theory as its main theoretical foundation. The BTTF Frame of Reference was developed for use by the team of transdisciplinary …

A Comparison Of Two Keyboarding Instruction Methods Over 2 Years For Elementary Students, Denise K. Donica, Peter Giroux, Young Joo Kim, Sydney Branson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: As computer and digital device use continues to grow in prevalence for school and work tasks, it is important for elementary-aged students to develop efficient keyboarding skills to support future academic and vocational success.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test study design was used to compare the effect of two different keyboarding instructional approaches on elementary students over a consecutive 2-year period. One group used Keyboarding Without Tears (KWT; N = 592) both years while the other group used free web-based activities the first year and Keyboarding Without Tears the second year (mixed methods; N = 714). …

Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives On Family-Centered Practices In Early Intervention, Irma J. Pereira, Francine M. Seruya

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Early intervention (EI) requires service provision in natural settings while incorporating interventions based on family-centered practice (FCP). This study sought to understand (a) how occupational therapists define and implement FCP in their daily interventions and (b) therapists’ perspectives on using this model of practice in EI.

Method: This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach. Nine licensed occupational therapists from six states with a minimum of 3 years of working experience in the area of EI participated. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subsequently coded and analyzed for emergent themes.

Results: The therapists had an average of …

Interprofessional Education And Practice: Perspectives From Students In Speech-Language Pathology And Recreational Therapy, David Hajjar, Jan Elich-Monroe, Susan Durnford

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Interprofessional education and practice (IPE/IPP) are important components for undergraduate and graduate students to experience during their programs of study in speech-language pathology and related health professions. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) is a member organization of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) which promotes four core competencies required for effective practice: values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. The purpose of this study was to gather the lived experiences from eight pre-professional students, four from speech-language pathology (SLP) and four from recreational therapy(RT), during focus groups and discussion forums conducted before, during, and after a 14-week IPE/IPP clinical …

Occupational Therapist Role In Post-Secondary Education Transition Program: Emphasis On Self-Advocacy Skills, Nikki K. Voorhees

Student Capstone Papers

It is becoming increasingly important for individuals to obtain post-secondary education in order to gain employment (Alverson et al., 2019; Chandroo et al., 2018). This increased importance to attend post-secondary education makes it imperative for students who are graduating from high school to be fully prepared for the transition to post-secondary education (Rothman et al., 2008). The transition from high school to post-secondary education is difficult for any individual. However, it is even more difficult for students with learning differences, as they tend to have problems in the areas of social skills, communication, problem solving, self-advocacy, and executive functioning (Alverson …

Service-Learning And Case-Based Learning’S Impact On Student’S Clinical Reasoning : A Repeated Measures Design Study, Gordon B. Tsubira

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Clinical reasoning is crucial for the occupational therapy profession to thrive in an ever-changing healthcare environment but is seldom isolated for explicit instruction and outcome measurement in course curricula. A single-factor repeated measures design study was conducted to compare the impact of didactic case-based learning and experiential service-learning on the development of the clinical reasoning of students at a midwestern public university’s entry-level master of occupational therapy program. The participants were sixteen graduate occupational therapy students who had completed their foundation-level courses.

Participants explored modes of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy for eight weeks (the first half of the semester), …

Adaptive Video Gaming In The Classroom, Lauren Ferrell, Daniela Mari Recinto, Desarae Finck-Fugazi, Christine Angela Manalang, Noémie Von Kaenel

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Background: Limited resources exist to support adaptive gaming in school programming using Microsoft® Xbox Adaptive Controller for children. On the other hand, there is abundant evidence supporting motor, cognitive, and social benefits to gaming in rehabilitation.

Objectives: The goal of this program development project was to create a virtual gaming toolkit to support the interdisciplinary team’s use of adaptive gaming during school programming.

Methods: Through our needs assessment and collaboration with our community partner, we discussed the parent and caregiver need for guidance in order to use the Microsoft® Xbox Adaptive Controller and facilitate gameplay with peers. Through an extensive …

Imposter Phenomenon: The Occupational Experiences Of First-Generation College Students, Jamie Zabat, Jacqueline Salas, Yashi Severson, Kevin Chavez, Krysta Gastelum, Javier Gomez

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Background: First-generation college students (FGCS) represent an underserved population navigating through higher education and therefore receive less support. There is a current gap in the literature that overlooks the interactions of occupational experiences, imposter phenomenon (IP), and first-generation college students. The purpose of this study is to use grounded theory to observe the impact of IP among FGCS enrolled in a four-year university in California.

Method: This research is a qualitative study using thematic analysis grounded theory. Data was collected through a screening survey and follow-up interview via video chats and in-person sessions, and a live transcription software …

“Adulting” The Life Transition Program For The Typically Developed Highschool Population, Gabriella Bologna

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Doctoral Capstone Experience In Academia – Brenau University, Amanda Watkins

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The final requirement for degree conferral in Nova Southeastern University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program is a 16-week doctoral capstone experience to enhance skills beyond those of an entry-level occupational therapist. During the doctoral capstone experience, students are required to complete a final culminating project that is unique to their chosen focus area which includes the development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of their work. The focus area that I chose was academia in an occupational therapy program. I was given the opportunity to work with Brenau University’s Entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (ELOTD) program in Norcross, Georgia. I was under …

Doctoral Capstone Experience In Program And Policy Development- Selah Freedom, Ashley N. Jones

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Child trafficking has been reported in all 50 states and affects more than 2 million children each year (Guardian Group, 2021). Involvement in human trafficking at a young age induces trauma that has a lasting effect on the victim’s personality and coping skills. A review of literature confirmed a need for more support of the use of occupational therapy with sex trafficking survivors. Despite support for the implementation of occupational therapy in similar trauma populations like domestic violence, homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and disaster survivors, there is limited literature supporting the use of OT with human trafficking survivors (Gorman & …

Doctoral Capstone Experience In Academia And Policy Development: Nova Southeastern University, Melanie Mariani

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

An exceptional amount of literature points to the benefits of hands-on learning experiences for students enrolled in healthcare programs (Coker, 2009; Doucet, 2012; Thomas et al., 2017 & Velde, 2009). Goals of my doctoral capstone experience (DCE) included: 1) Develop the foundational requirements for Nova Southeastern University (NSU) to increase hands-on experiential student learning and potentially develop an on-site clinic in the future, and 2) Create and deploy educational materials for the students in the class of 2022 to increase their hands-on learning while taking the course virtually. The results include the creation of three sets of clinical reasoning guides …

Impacting Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Knowledge About Occupation And Occupation-Based Practice, Allen S. Keener, Cynthia L. Hayden, Dana M. Howell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

It is important for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs to teach about occupation and occupation-based practice (OBP). Few have published on this topic in relation to OTA education. This study focuses on determining if an educational module covering occupation and OBP would increase student knowledge of occupation and occupation-based practice. In this mixed-methods parallel convergent study, OTA students were immersed in an author-designed educational module to increase their knowledge of occupation, OBP, and the selection of occupation-based interventions. The students engaged in pretesting activities, prior to the module, consisting of short-answer essay and intervention selection tasks. At the conclusion of …