Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Associations Between Occupational Therapy Students’ Approaches To Studying And Their Academic Grade Results: A Cross-Sectional And Cross-Cultural Study, Tore Bonsaksen, Ted Brown, Hua B. Lim, Kenneth Fong, Milada C. Småstuen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Students’ approaches to studying are generally viewed as essential for their learning outcomes and are often described as being either deep, strategic or surface. However, research on associations between study approaches and academic outcomes among occupational therapy students are rare, as are studies that include cross-cultural comparisons. The objective of this study was to assess the degree to which the deep, strategic, and surface approaches to studying were associated with occupational therapy students’ grade point average, in the total sample and when stratified by country, while controlling for age, gender and time spent on independent study. Seven hundred and twelve …

An Evaluation Of The Factor Structure And Internal Consistency Of The ‘Conceptions Of Learning’ And ‘Preferences For Teaching’ Measures In American Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Adele Breen-Franklin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

When planning to use measurement scales in new samples and contexts, examining the scales’ psychometric properties is an important initial step. This study examined the factor structure and internal consistency of two measures that are part of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) – the Conceptions of learning and Preferences for teaching and courses – in a sample of American occupational therapy students. The students (n = 115) completed the measures and provided basic sociodemographic information. Scale structure was examined with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), while consistency between scale items was assessed with mean inter-item correlations. …

Professional Identity Of Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students, Harrison Gray, Kay Colthorpe, Hardy Ernst, Louise Ainscough

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Throughout the development of an individual, their identity, or how they see themselves, frequently changes. An important part of identity formation in adolescents is the development of professional identity, which is how they perceive themselves in a professional context. The establishment of a strong professional identity has been linked to life satisfaction, psychological well-being and success in one’s chosen career. The aim of this study was to identify the extent of professional identity development in second year undergraduate occupational therapy students. As part of an assessment task, students were asked to describe why they chose occupational therapy, how they saw …

Characteristics Of Occupation-Based Education Within Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs: Professional Leaders' Perspectives, Georgia Canty, Melanie J. Roberts, Matthew Molineux

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, and accordingly occupation should permeate all aspects of the profession. Entry-level education is the primary means by which new members of the profession become educated about occupation and its place in occupational therapy practice. Therefore, it is essential that education reflects the core concept of the profession. To date there have been individual opinions about occupation-based education but no studies have documented the characteristics that demonstrate this approach from the perspective of professional leaders. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore professional leaders’ views on, and …

High Fidelity Simulation With Peer Debriefing: Influence Of Student Observation And Participation Roles On Student Perception Of Confidence With Learning And Feedback, Jodi Schreiber, Theresa Delbert, Laura Huth

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

High fidelity simulation (HFS) has been used successfully to prepare students in a range of health professions for the acute care setting. HFS consists of three phases, with debriefing identified as most important. Instructor-led debriefing has been the most documented form of providing feedback. This pilot study looked at the relationship between the use of peer debriefing in HFS on graduate occupational therapy students’ perceived level of confidence with giving and receiving performance related feedback. Students in an entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy program engaged in both an observational role and an active participation role in HFS followed by peer …

Teaching And Learning Occupation In Occupational Therapy Education: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Mikaylah Miller, Melanie J. Roberts

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupation is the core focus of the occupational therapy profession and is a complex concept for students to know and understand. The aim of this review was to understand how teaching and learning occupation has been represented by educators and students across qualitative studies in occupational therapy education. A qualitative evidence synthesis was conducted which included searching four databases; CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, and Embase. Research articles were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria by two reviewers. The search resulted in 328 records being identified, with 13 articles included. The methodological quality of included articles was assessed using the Critical Appraisal …

Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones: A National Survey, Erika Kemp, Anna Domina, Theresa Delbert, Andrew Rivera, Lydia Navarro-Walker

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level clinical doctorate degrees are becoming more prevalent in the United States for occupational therapy. As indicated by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® standards, the doctoral capstone is an essential component to the entry-level doctorate degree. Despite the importance of the doctoral capstone, there have been limited publications about doctoral capstone development, implementation, and evaluation. A retrospective review was completed on qualitative descriptive data from a national electronic survey of entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (EL-OTD) programs regarding implementation of the doctoral capstone experience and project. Fifteen EL-OTD programs responded to the survey. Based on results, there was not …

Retrospective Analysis Of Graduates’ Outcomes In A Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program, Nichole Morrow, Barbara Townsend, Vanessa D. Jewell, Angela Bahle-Lampe, Yongyue Qi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There are limited studies within occupational therapy literature assessing the outcomes of advanced degrees. Specifically, there is a scarcity of literature about the benefits of completing a post-professional occupational therapy doctorate (POTD) program. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine graduates’ professional and personal outcomes at a midwestern university with an established POTD program. A total of 64 graduate exit surveys completed by POTD graduates between the years of 2008 and 2017 were analyzed using a mixed methods research design. Emergent categories from the data included a greater sense of self-empowerment and confidence, expanded career opportunities, and increased …

Student Perceptions Of Research In An Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Kristin A. Valdes, Stephanie Dalton, Deandra Modeste, Jacqueline J. Moskalczyk, Troy Olmo, Jacklynn M. Smith

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Student perceptions of research in graduate programs play a role within the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) curriculum and how future clinicians value Evidence Based Practice and research. The Student Perception of Research Integration Questionnaire (SPRIQ) was utilized to examine students’ perceptions of research in their graduate coursework. Participants included in this study were all students enrolled in an occupational therapy doctorate program. All items were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Mean scores were calculated for each item on the respondents’ submissions. The items were further categorized into subscales. The mean score of all items of the SPRIQ was 4.44 …

Developing An Ignatian Pedagogy For Occupational Therapy Education In China: The Lived Experience Of The First Two Entry Level Otd, Jesuit Trained Clinicians, Angela Patterson, Alfred G. Bracciano

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This paper explores the lived experience of the initial two Chinese professionals, competitively selected by a Traditional Chinese Medicine University, to attend and graduate from the Creighton University entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. The process and challenges facing implementation of an international collaborative relationship between a Jesuit university and a public higher education institution in China is considered along with the challenges facing international students immersed in Jesuit health care education. Highlights of differences between Eastern and Western higher education are suggested in the discussion. A review of Jesuit education in China provides the historical background and context …

Preparing For A Short-Term Volunteer Experience, Beth Sullivan

Occupational Therapy Collection

Occupational Therapy (OT) practitioners who volunteer for short-term medical service trips in developing countries face many challenges, including gaining an appreciation of that country's culture (values, economy, political, and medical systems) and understanding how these factors influence provision of OT services.

As OT practitioners, we "contribute to the global health of society and individuals by enabling the right to engage in meaningful, purposeful occupations" (World Federation of Occupational Therapists, n.d., para 4). The frequency of short-term medical service trips (STMST) undertaken by persons living in high income countries to low income countries is increasing (Sykes, 2014). Despite this fact, systematic …

Conflict Management In Occupational Therapy Education: Process Drama As A Teaching Strategy, Theresa Delbert, Tyson Schrader

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The stressful and demanding environment of a healthcare facility can lead to interpersonal conflict. As a result of working in these environments, occupational therapy students may experience such conflict during Level II fieldwork. Research has shown that effective conflict management is an important component of success on Level II fieldwork; however, occupational therapy students often self-report a lack of confidence, comfort, and competence with managing conflict. Forty Master of Occupational Therapy students took part in a 2-day conflict management workshop. The workshop consisted of didactic training of conflict management concepts; large group process drama activities that introduced relevant role-play concepts; …

The Short Assist Scales: Measurement Properties In A Sample Of Occupational Therapy Students In The Usa, Tore Bonsaksen, Adele Breen-Franklin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Shortening measurement scales can improve the scales’ feasibility, but at the same time, their measurement properties can be affected. This study investigated psychometric properties of the short Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) among occupational therapy students in the United States. The students (n = 120) completed the ASSIST and provided basic socio-demographic and education-related information. Scale structure was examined with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), while consistency between scale items was assessed with Cronbach’s α and inter-item correlations. Three factors were confirmed, but three items showed poor or ambiguous fit with the proposed scales. These items were …

Use Of Case Studies To Promote Critical Thinking In Occupational Therapy Students, Denise D. Allen, Susan Toth-Cohen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Critical thinking is a necessary component of clinical reasoning that should be addressed as part of the graduate curriculum for occupational therapists. For students to apply critical thinking in practice they must also have confidence and minimal anxiety about their abilities. Case-based learning was chosen to address critical thinking skill development, increase confidence, and decrease anxiety. The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study was to evaluate progressively independent engagement with case-based learning on student performance, confidence, and anxiety in applying critical thinking skills in the clinical setting. Critical thinking was measured using a rubric to assess students’ performance in …

Elevating Student Understanding: Irish Occupational Therapy Students’ Experience Of A Service Learning Project, Karen Mccarthy, Marian Mccarthy

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Service learning is a pedagogy that embraces learning in action and addresses community needs. Since the adoption of the Occupational Therapy Competencies in 2008 and the launch of national occupational therapist registration in Ireland in 2015, there has been limited research on the effectiveness of service learning pedagogies in Irish higher education for meeting core competencies. The majority of research focusing on evaluating service learning have been North American studies which brings to question the relevance of these service learning outcomes beyond North America and specifically Ireland. This qualitative study examined 11 occupational therapy students’ journal reflections, portfolio entries, and …

On-Campus Occupational Therapy Clinic Enhances Student Professional Development And Understanding, Kelly Erickson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Changing healthcare systems impact clinical sites that provide fieldwork for occupational therapy programs and require students to be prepared for the pace and demands of the clinical settings. Occupational therapy programs strive to enhance hands-on experiences in didactic curriculum to better prepare students for Level II fieldwork. An on-campus clinic course was implemented over two semesters with students engaging in the occupational therapy process with adult and pediatric clients from the community under the supervision of faculty. Student surveys and focus group data were analyzed over five years. Survey responses to open-ended question were triangulated with data from focus group …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Self-Efficacy, Experience Of Supervision, And Perception Of Meaningfulness Of Level Ii Fieldwork, Lynne Andonian

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the relationship of perceived self-efficacy to demographic and fieldwork variables for occupational therapy (OT) students. Self-efficacy is related to student and employee success and competency.

Methods: OT students (n = 306) from 42 OT programs in the United States completed the Student Confidence Questionnaire and the Demographic Questionnaire and Survey addressing demographics, practice setting, students’ experience of supervision, and perceptions of the fieldwork’s personal meaning during Level II fieldwork. Correlational and regression methods examined the relationships among the variables. Analysis of variance methods tested differences between higher and lower self-efficacy student groups.

Results: The degree of …

Generation Y Health Professional Students’ Preferred Teaching And Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review, Caroline Mary Hills, Tracy Levett-Jones, Samuel Lapkin, Helen Warren-Forward

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Generation Y or Millennials are descriptors for those born between 1982 and 2000. This cohort has grown up in the digital age and is purported to have different learning preferences from previous generations. Students are important stakeholders in identifying their preferred teaching and learning approaches in health professional programs. This study aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize the best available evidence regarding the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y health professional students. The review considered any objectively measured or self-reported outcomes of teaching and learning reported from Generation Y health professional student perspectives. In accordance with a previously published …

First Year Occupational Therapy Students’ Clinical Reasoning Approach To Addressing Challenging Behaviors Related To Sensory Processing Using A Simulated Case Study, Bryan M. Gee, Kelly E. Thompson, Jane Strickland, Lucy Jane Miller

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy students must be prepared to use clinical reasoning to select appropriate interventions for children with sensory processing disorders (SPDs). Although these interventions are typically taught in entry-level occupational therapy programs, there is little information regarding the method by which occupational therapy students are taught a clinical reasoning process to determine which sensory processing intervention to use with pediatric clients. A problem-solving framework called A SECRET was used to teach students clinical reasoning for children with SPDs, via an online, module-based course. Following the module, the students were tested with an online assessment tool regarding their ability to discriminate …

Underperforming Students: Factors And Decision-Making In Occupational Therapy Programs, Beth Cardell, Jeanette Koski, Jessica Wahl, Wendi Rock, Anne Kirby

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to better understand factors related to occupational therapy (OT) educators’ decisions to fail underperforming students and to clarify why educators sometimes fail to fail or pass students despite sub-standard performance. Assessing student competence is an essential part of ensuring the safety of those receiving occupational therapy services and ensuring the integrity of the OT profession. Educators in academic and fieldwork settings are responsible for confirming that students who graduate from their programs are able to demonstrate skills required for entry into the profession. A total of 323 OT academic and fieldwork educators responded to …

Achieving Teaching, Scholarship, And Service Through Community Engagement, Carole K. Ivey, Jodi L. Teitelman, Kelli W. Gary, Dianne F. Simons, Jayne T. Shepherd, Albert E. Copolillo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy faculty currently face enormous challenges in meeting teaching load expectations, while also under pressure to participate in scholarly projects and to make administrative and service contributions. Community engagement projects may provide opportunities for faculty to effectively and efficiently meet the goals in each of these areas while imparting benefits to students and community partners as well. Faculty at the Department of Occupational Therapy (OT) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) embraced this idea as consistent with the university’s mission and strategic plan, and recognized its benefits in assisting faculty to meet workload demands. Four community partnerships reflecting the range …

Digital Storytelling As Poetic Reflection In Occupational Therapy Education: An Empirical Study, Lisebet S. Skarpaas, Grete Jamissen, Cecilie Krüger, Vigdis Holmberg, Pip Hardy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Stories are powerful aids to reflection. Thus, the use of stories may be a pathway to enhanced reflective practice and clinical reasoning skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether and how digital storytelling can contribute to occupational therapy (OT) students’ learning through reflections on experiences from placement education. A cohort of OT students (n = 57) participated in a 2-day workshop to create digital stories. Data were generated through a questionnaire with a response rate of 100% of students who completed the workshop (n = 34). Quantitative analysis methods were used to reveal a level of agreement …