Occupational Therapy Commons^™

The Sensational Students Sensory Program, Ashlie Kohr

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

The Sensational Students Sensory Program focused on the areas of program development, clinical skills, and education. It was developed and implemented for Dallas Area School District to empower students' knowledge about their emotions and how their body feels when they experience certain emotions. Resources and tools were developed for students to use as self-regulation strategies. The students had the opportunity to participate in group sessions with peers to create sensory tools to build a sensory toolbox they could use during the school day to help with self-regulation. The goal was to help these students better understand their emotions and how …

Allstar Abilities Sports Camp: A Community-Based Sports Program For Children With Disabilities, Kolby D. Engel

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

The focus of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was creating the Allstar Abilities: Sports Camp to provide children with disabilities with the opportunity and environment to participate in team sports and sports activities. Within the local community surrounding Misericordia University there are few opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in these kinds of activities. This creates an occupational injustice for this population. Through research and needs assessments it was found that only sports such as baseball and basketball were locally available for this population to safely participate in. The Allstar Abilities: Sports Camp was then created to fill this …

Occupational Therapy In Caregiver Education And Dementia Care, Sophie Winter

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

The doctoral capstone project addresses education on optimal care for individuals with dementia to increase occupational performance and limit excess disability through training sessions with caregivers. The community program created took place at a community memory care adult day program. The bulk of the project focuses on education for caregivers of those with dementia through creating educational handouts, practicing through trainings, and creating personally tailored activities for cognition maintenance and participation. Caregiver manuals were made to address caregiver burnout, education, and competency. The other major part of this capstone was program development assessing the needs of the population and creating …

W.O.R.K. Towards Inclusivity In Employment, Chloe N. Tinklepaugh

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

W.O.R.K. Towards Inclusivity in Employment was a doctoral capstone project focused on promoting sustainable employment for neurodiverse individuals. Despite their capabilities, neurodivergent individuals often face barriers to employment due to employers’ misconceptions about their abilities (Bonaccio et al., 2020). This project addressed these challenges through three main components: researching employers’ perspectives, curriculum revision, and educating employers. For research, Luzerne and Lackawanna county employers were surveyed to assess their training, resources, and perspectives on neurodiversity in the workplace. Findings indicated that employers were open to receiving more education and training on how to support their employees, but they currently lack the …

Promoting Optimal Pediatric Development, Rachel N. Mills

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

This quality improvement capstone project embodied a multifaceted approach to supporting the infant and early childhood populations at a local pediatric outpatient clinic. The capstone project endeavors were guided by the theoretical underpinnings of the literature and results of in-depth needs assessments. The themes that emerged from the systematic review of the literature, which involved the efficacy of parent education programs in increasing parental knowledge and competence in supporting their child's physical and emotional development, were seamlessly integrated into the program. Evidence-based practice, principles of early intervention, and preventative care were used at the clinic to support infant and early …

Athletes Thriving Health, Resilience, And Inspiration For Victory And Empowerment (Thrive): A University Athletics Mental Health Program, Grace E. Yeatman

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

Athletes Thriving Health, Resilience, and Inspiration for Victory and Empowerment (THRIVE) is an occupational therapy (OT) doctoral capstone project that was created to address increased rates of mental health concerns as well as significant levels of mental health stigma among university athletes (Johnson, 2022). The goals of this capstone project were to educate and train athletes in mental health and wellness to support healthy engagement in occupations, promote self-advocacy with seeking mental health services, and increase athletic department staff comfortability and capability with addressing athlete mental health. OT programs and interventions with this population are mainly in the context of …

Adjusting Your L.E.N.S: Learn And Educate With Neurodiverse Students, Jenna Potter

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

This doctoral capstone project, Adjusting Your L.E.N.S: Learn & Educate with Neurodiverse Students, focused on how occupational therapy (OT) can play a unique role in contributing to an inclusive postsecondary higher education (IPSE) program at a local university. This capstone project focused on supporting faculty, staff, and peer academic coaches, developing a transition camp for high school students, and enhancing the university’s current IPSE program to ensure that students with intellectual disability and autism can access higher education and learn within an inclusive and supportive setting. A faculty, staff, and academic coach training program was implemented to equip participants with …

A Call For Integration Of Trauma-Informed Care Into Occupational Therapy: Improving Provider Competency Through A Case Study Of A Cooking Skills Program For Survivors Of Human Trafficking, Natalie Pravinkumar

OT Doctoral Capstones

Trauma, such as abuse, neglect, and violence, has evident lasting physical and mental health effects, such as chronic illness, behavioral changes, and depression. While trauma-informed care (TIC) helps providers recognize and respond to trauma, this training is often limited to mental health and social work fields. Many survivor populations never receive interventions designed with TIC in mind, restricting outcomes leading to reduced rehabilitation and reintegration.

Occupational therapy (OT) is fundamentally client-centered and functional, making it well suited for TIC. However, while they cover many similar topics, most OT programs do not include specific curriculum on TIC.

TIC education in OT …

Caring For Caregivers: An Occupational Therapy-Centered Mental Health And Wellness Program, Natalie Burgess

OT Doctoral Capstones

Objective: Address the mental health and wellness needs of caregivers of individuals with disabilities at Fundación Integra A.C.

Methods: Conducted a needs assessment, developed and implemented an 8-week occupational therapy-based wellness program, and evaluated outcomes using pre/post assessments and weekly feedback surveys.

Results: Caregivers showed reduced stress, improved self-reported health, and increased use of mindfulness and coping strategies.

Conclusion: Occupational therapy interventions can improve caregiver well-being and support sustainable caregiver education in community settings.

Advocating For The Field Of Occupational Therapy Among High School Students, Linda Crabtree

Doctoral Projects

The field of occupational therapy (OT) is a healthcare field that is impactful on the lives of many individuals however there is currently a lack of awareness of the field of OT due to a lack of knowledge of and interest in OT among healthcare providers and the public (Richards and Valleé, 2020). The Aim of Research. The purpose of this project is to advocate for the field of OT and assess if an introductory presentation and hands-on lab about OT’s scope can improve the interest in OT among high school students in both rural and urban environments. Methods. The …

Implementing Visual Supports Through Vocational Training Modules For Students Preparing To Exit School-Based Services, Kaitlynn Karthan

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Unemployment and underemployment remain persistent barriers for autistic and developmentally disabled individuals, with up to 75% of autistic adults in the United States experiencing difficulty obtaining or maintaining meaningful work. To address this disparity within school-based transition services, this capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of video modeling as an instructional method for vocational skill acquisition among seven young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). Grounded in the Occupational Justice framework, this study utilized a quantitative pretest–posttest–follow-up quasi-experimental design to measure accuracy and task completion time on two vocational tasks: rolling silverware and filling condiment cups. …

Systems Evaluation Supporting Feeding Program Development, Marquetta Moore

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Prior to the development of a feeding therapy program, a system evaluation was completed in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. Changes were implemented to support the program, while planning and the initial phases of the feeding therapy program began.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to enhance daily clinic operations and initiate the development of a feeding therapy program, with a focus on establishing evidence-based, family-and child-centered care.

This capstone project addressed the following objectives:

1. Assess clinic systems to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as threats and opportunities while evaluating existing processes that may impact program …

Addressing Fine Motor Skills In Kindergarten Through Embedding Occupational Fine Motor Skills In Classrooms, Mary L. Hesterwerth

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Fine motor and visual–motor delays are becoming more common among young children, driven by the shift from traditional physical play to screen time and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues are particularly concerning for kindergarten students, whose academic demands for handwriting and classroom participation are increasing despite their limited prior school experience.

Purpose: This Capstone project aimed to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapist-led training workshop for kindergarten teachers, focusing on how it helps integrate fine motor activities into daily bellwork routines. The main research question was whether this Tier 1, classroom-based strategy could enhance students’ fine …

Mind The Gap, Klaire Perry

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

I went in to OT to make the world more accessible. I love how OT views people as their hopes, dreams, values, strengths, and facilitators...NOT as an injury or disease. At this point, every room I enter becomes a personal case study of accessibility. I can't help but wonder how many spaces have hung huge signs that say "YOU ARE NOT WELCOME" that are only visible to some. I'm thankful for my love ones who agreed to help me with this project. While I can never fully understand their experience, I can listen.

Klaire Perry, Class of 2027

Summer School: The Experience Of An Occupational Therapy Student Exploring Culture In Spokane!, Lulu Brady

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

This zine illustrates my experience in this OTD 721 Cultural Responsiveness class, led by Dr. Kirkpatrick. The class took place in the summer of 2025. It was absolutely inspiring, and I wanted to be able to share my takeaways and learnings from my experiences in this class. Culture is so relevant to the field of occupational therapy (OT) because occupations are often shaped by culture, OT cannot be truly client-centered without respective culture. Not only did this class help me grow as a future occupational therapist practitioner, but it also helped me grow as a person. It showed me the …

Welcomed In: A Love Letter To Okinawa, Taylor Fernandez

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

This zine is a personal, reflective project exploring Okinawan culture through my lens as a long-term guest -- first as a military child, then as an adult returning "home" to visit the island where my parents still live. While I am not Okinawan, the culture has deeply influenced my values, worldview, and understanding of community, aging, and wellness.

Through this project, I have sought to honor the richness of Okinawan traditions -- not as an authority, but a someone shaped by the grace of being welcomed in. The pages blend scholarly knowledge, lived experience, and cultural observation to explore how …

Occupational Apartheid, Kimberly Dewey

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Occupational apartheid is a term that is often misunderstood. I wanted to bring more awareness and understanding to a very real concept that happens every day. I hope to have provided education and examples that make it easy to follow along and see how apartheid shows up on a daily basis. Let's work together as future OT professionals to expand our knowledge and practice to decrease experiences of occupational apartheid.

Kimberly Dewey, Class of 2027

Gamified Mhealth System For Evaluating Upper Limb Motor Performance In Children: Cross-Sectional Feasibility Study, Md Raihan Mia, Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed, Samuel Nemanich

Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Approximately 17% of children in the United States have been diagnosed with a developmental or neurological disorder that affects upper limb (UL) movements needed for completing activities of daily living. Gold-standard laboratory assessments of the UL are objective and precise but may not be portable, while clinical assessments can be time-intensive. We developed MoEvGame, a mobile health (mHealth) gamification software system for the iPad, as a potential advanced technology to assess UL motor functions.

Objective: This feasibility study examines whether MoEvGame can assess children’s whole-limb movement, fine motor skills, manual dexterity, and bimanual coordination. The specific aims were to …

Perceptions Of Occupational Therapy Student Fieldwork Readiness In The Acute Care Setting, Jackie Dusing, Lisa Borrero, Elizabeth Horrall Stith, Kristina Watkins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy student readiness for Level II fieldwork is necessary for preparing novice clinicians and is challenging to assess, as it requires applying didactic knowledge in real-world clinical settings. There is currently a gap in the literature regarding student perceptions of their readiness for Level II fieldwork, especially in the acute care setting. The aim of this qualitative study is to better understand Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students’ perceptions of readiness for Level II fieldwork in an acute care setting. This basic interpretive qualitative research study utilized a purposeful sampling with students completing their Level II fieldwork in various …

Improving Self-Regulated Learning Among Occupational Therapy Students, Pola Ham

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many occupational therapy students, particularly first-generation students, face significant academic and social challenges in higher education that affect their self-regulated learning (SRL). SRL involves goal setting, self-monitoring, strategy implementation, and reflection. The rigorous academic demands, combined with the unique challenges experienced by many first-generation students, exacerbate these difficulties, particularly in developing SRL skills, which are essential for academic and professional success. While first-generation students often lack these skills due to a variety of factors, many occupational therapy students also struggle to develop these skills, regardless of background. This narrative review examines the role of SRL in occupational therapy education and …

Development And Clinical Validation Of The Sensor-E Exoskeleton For Objective Hand Function Assessment In Stroke Rehabilitation, Madison Bates

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hand function is often impaired following neurological trauma or in conditions such as stroke, limiting independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Current clinical assessments rely heavily on subjective rating scales that lack the resolution to detect subtle changes in motor performance, which can limit access to rehabilitation. Recent advances in wearable technologies highlight the potential for hand-worn devices to provide objective, real-time measures of hand function. However, most systems focus solely on kinematics and rarely capture both movement and exerted force. Moreover, integration into rehabilitation frameworks and brain-computer interface (BCI) protocols remains limited. To address …

Specialized Knowledge Of Sensory Interventions For Sensory Function, Cassidy Kay Filson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Between 5%-16.5% of the general population are estimated to have a form of atypical sensory reactivity (Ahn et al., 2004). Atypical sensory reactivity or atypical sensory processing is described as when the brain processes sensory input differently than it typically would (Ark Support Coordination, n.d.). The rates of atypical sensory reactivity increase in children with additional diagnoses such as autism (ASD), developmental delays and disabilities, and neurodivergent children (AOTA, 2023). Sensory processing and integration difficulties negatively impact the quality and quantity of a child’s occupational participation, as symptoms often make various occupations more difficult for the child to participate …

Unlock Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: Interprofessional Collaboration Between Ot Hand Therapy And Surgical Teams, Collin Brown

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: In the journey to recovery from upper extremity injuries, outpatient hand therapists who are certified as occupational therapists (OT) play a crucial role in restoring patients' independence and functionality, both before and after surgical intervention. Researchers identified main themes experienced by participants who had acquired an upper extremity injury and were post-operation, such as functional challenges in managing conditions, difficulties in everyday life, coping strategies, differing expectations, and the impact of information on daily life (Hansen et al, 2024). In all of these areas identified, an OT hand therapist is able to identify and facilitate improvements pre- and post-surgery …

Breaking Down Silos: Creating And Implementing A Longitudinal Interprofessional Education Curriculum For Graduate Health Science Professional Students, Robert Wellmon, Jill D. Black, Wendy Wachter-Schutz, Kathleen M. Youse, Adrienne N. Pinckney, Lori L. Felker

Health Professions Education

Background. Accreditation standards for graduate health professional programs require the inclusion of interprofessional learning and collaboration (IPL/C) activities in entry-level curricula. This implementation necessitates collaboration among educators from multiple disciplines and openness to innovation and to educate students in a manner that breaks down uni-professional curriculum silos that are known barriers to the creation of meaningful IPL experiences.

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to describe one institution’s process for creating a longitudinal interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that aligns with accreditation mandates and meets the call to foster IPC competency skills.

Methods. Widener University established an interprofessional thread of …

Pediatric Hearing Loss: Screening For Developmental Delays Among Children With Hearing Aids, Kelsey Wallace

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Children with hearing impairments are at risk for developmental delay, and research has shown that children born with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) are at a higher risk for delays in motor, sensory, and social skills development. The literature points to an obvious impact of hearing loss on development, but also a lack of screening for this phenomenon beyond language development skills. A doctoral capstone project was conducted to pilot a process for the implementation of developmental screening for children with hearing aids (HAs), as well as subsequent therapy referrals and parent education, in collaboration with a hospital-based pediatric audiology department. …

Enhancing Wellbeing Through Caregiver Support: Improving Quality Of Life For Individuals With Special Needs And Complex Medical Diagnoses In Nicaragua, Jenna K. Devchand

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Individuals with disabilities living all over the world are constantly faced with additional barriers. In low-income countries, such as Nicaragua, there is often a gap in access to resources and education, for both individuals living with disabilities and their caregivers. Access is essential to provide high quality care to meet unique needs. This occupational therapy doctoral capstone project was created to support individuals providing care to children with special needs and complex medical diagnoses in Nicaragua by providing community-based education and sustainable resources to caregivers to enhance wellbeing in daily life. The deliverable was presented in country in Nicaragua to …

Nurturing Potential: Building Teacher Capacity To Support Infant Developmentin Low Income Daycares, Jeanae A. Williams

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Nurturing Potential: Building Teacher Capacity to Support Infant Development in Low Income Daycares

Jeanae Williams, OTDS

Faculty Mentor: Kelly McGloon, PhD, OTR/L

ABRSTRACT:

Early childcare centers play a critical role in fostering young children’s learning and development. Each year, approximately 600,000 infants are born at risk for developmental delays, yet less than 50% are identified early. Early detection and support are crucial in reducing long-term developmental challenges and improving outcomes for reaching milestones. This capstone project aims to enhance the capacity of infant classroom teachers in low-income daycare settings by providing education on typical development and increasing awareness of resources …

Improving Home Exercise Program Adherence In Stroke Survivors: Examining Influencing Factors And Developing Educational Resources For A Behavioral Intervention, Megan E. Thompson

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Improving Home Exercise Program Adherence in Stroke Survivors: Examining Influencing Factors and Developing Educational Resources for a Behavioral Intervention

Nearly 800,000 individuals experience a stroke annually in the United States and stroke often results in upper extremity functional limitation which can impact the individual’s ability to perform their activities of daily living. Because of this, home exercise programs are prescribed to facilitate rehabilitation; however, adherence is inadequate which ultimately impacts overall functional recovery. The purpose of this capstone is to enhance understanding of factors that influence home exercise program adherence and to improve upper extremity functional recovery post stroke through …

Occupational Therapy In Oncology: Enhancing Quality Of Life For Head And Neck Cancer Survivors, Anna C. Hildebrand

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

This occupational therapy capstone project was completed through collaboration with a site that aims to eradicate cancer through multidisciplinary patient care, innovative research, and education and training. The purpose of the project is to improve the quality of life (QoL) in Head and Neck Cancer survivors through resources created to enhance self-efficacy, symptom management, and overall well-being throughout the cancer trajectory. The project included the goal of furthering the health care team’s understanding of occupational therapy’s role within the cancer population, specifically HNC, by providing these supportive resources. Educational patient handouts were distributed to HNC care providers to then distribute …

Pediatric Occupational Therapists' Perception Of How Nature-Based Play Affects Fine Motor Development, Abbi M. Rosenow, Donia P. Timby, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Amanda Terrell

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study explored the benefits of nature-based pediatric occupational therapy (OT) and the influence of nature and nature-based play on fine motor development. It was hypothesized that nature and nature-based play would positively impact a child’s fine motor skills (FMS) and that nature-based OT would offer unique benefits to a child’s therapeutic experience. To examine these relationships, a survey was distributed to pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) across the United States. The survey was designed to gather insights into how OT supports fine motor development, how nature-based play/therapy enhances these skills, and the perceived benefits of incorporating nature into therapeutic practices. …