Occupational Therapy Commons^™

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 …

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, …

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 …

Developing A Resilience Program For Occupational Therapy Students, Sienna Guzman, Jenna Lazo, Rachel Thompson, Madisson Walker

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Developing resilience in healthcare students is recognized as a valuable endeavor and programs at the university level exist for students in healthcare fields including medicine and nursing; however, there are no current programs for occupational therapy students (Delany et al., 2015). Research has shown that occupational therapy students experience high levels of stress that can lead to burnout (Everly et al., 1994). To address this programming gap, we developed and piloted a resilience program for occupational therapy students at Dominican University of California consisting of three components: 1) a self-compassion workshop, 2) a resilience website, and 3) a community building …

Exploration Of Occupational Barriers Of At-Promise Youth With Photovoice, Francis Bie, Brianna Baisch, Quyntz Ellenwood, Kerry Krohn, Iliana Santellan

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Numerous circumstances affect the quality of life of youth including a higher risk for poverty, social exclusion, discrimination, mental health challenges and/or stigma, which effects their ability to engage in occupations (Iwasaki, 2014, p. 317). Through highlighting how photovoice has been utilized in the past with under-represented groups, we wanted to address occupational injustices faced daily by “At-promise” youth. Through utilizing participatory-led research, we wanted to further empower youth to be advocates in their community. Our research aim was to utilize Participatory Action Research and photovoice as a guide for at-promise youth to explore occupational injustices, how to understand the …

A Virtual View Of Occupation: Transactionalism In Mmorpgs, John Miklos, Alex Nold, Shasta Rice, Amanda Flores

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

To date, most research on massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) has focused on the effects playing MMORPGs has on players’ health and wellness. The virtual environment of MMORPGs has yet to be explored as a space where meaningful occupations occur. This qualitative study explored the virtual environment using a transactional perspective in order to define the qualities of virtual worlds, how transactional relationships operate more clearly within these virtual worlds to construct occupational meaning, and subsequently to provide a foundation of qualitative data to support future research including virtual worlds. The sample included six MMORPG players with experience playing …

Holistic Occupational Therapy Dining Interventions Supporting Individuals With Dementia In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Kathleen Osio, Sabrina Anne Cezar, Ashley Lorton, Lisa Worsham

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) with a Holistic Occupational Therapy Dementia Dining Toolkit to enhance the dining experience in the SNF setting for individuals in all stages of dementia. Dementia is a prevalent condition seen in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) that is expected to continue to rise; in 2016, 47.8 percent of individuals living in a SNF had a diagnosis of dementia (Center of Disease Control, 2020). Dining experiences for individuals with dementia (IwD) are impacted by an individual’s cognition, physical, environmental, and psychosocial factors. Additionally, the task oriented and structured approach to …

Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measures: A Systematic Review, Janice Brown, Jordan Ng, Reilly Todd, Alyssa Vo

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Student Research Posters

In collaboration with SFSU/UCSF Physical Therapy and Dominican University of California Occupational Therapy, this systematic review took a critical look at the pediatric stroke outcome measures in the current literature. By ascertaining what is currently in place,

occupational therapists as members of the interprofessional team, can better advocate for occupation centered outcome measures in research and clinical care for children and families who have experienced pediatric stroke.

Impact Of Assistive Technology Applications In Higher Education For Students With And Without Disabilities, Continued, Melanie C. Barillas, Alma E. Cortez, Tamera Y. Mcneil, Geneen C. Samaniego, Julia Zasso

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

Assistive technology (AT) research has historically focused on skills that AT features can support (e.g. increased spelling, increased typing speed, etc.). In contrast, new research has examined the impact of AT on occupational engagement for individuals with disabilities, and AT in higher education with varying supports (Camarena et al., 2020; Gameuda et al., 2018; Malcolm & Roll, 2017). Due to the COVID pandemic, distance teaching/learning technology has become central to higher education (HE). Distance learning has caused uncertainties for students including creating an effective study routine (Peloso, et al., 2020). Further research is required for examining AT that can support …

Occupational Therapy Collaboration In Creating Accessible Theatre, Chanelle Bautista, Alyssa Cho, Jazmine Cunanan, Ariana Marino, Miko Ramo

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Student Research Posters

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. Our program illustrates occupational therapists’ ability to collaborate with theatres and contribute knowledge on sensory processing differences and environmental modification to increase community cultural arts participation for people with disabilities and their families.

Play Occupation For Adults: A Scoping Review, Karen Mccarthy, Jeanne Jackson, Sarah Kantartzis

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Students And Faculty In Higher Education, Joshua Manio, Kirsten Bas, Megan Griffith, Sophia Mendoza, Christian Jiao

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced that COVID-19 was a “pandemic” (Kapasia et al., 2020). The impact of COVID-19 on higher education has been substantial. Teaching has changed from traditional in-person, classroom formats to distance learning platforms. As students experienced unprecedented disruptions, faculty faced challenges to provide high-quality teaching and build learning communities with their students. Preliminary global research on the COVID-19 impact on higher education has revealed mental health implications including anxiety and depression (Cao et al., 2020). Additionally, the transition to distance learning has hindered college students’ motivation, academic performance, and educational plans. …