Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Mental Health Promotion In Occupational Therapy, Taylor Frazee

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

The capstone project was completed at Cleveland State University to assist the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program with the creation of learning experiences for its students so they may effectively advocate and promote the mental health of clients served. It identified barriers in practice, gathered evidence to support the use of mental health promotion in practice, and created resources to enhance students’ abilities to advocate for OT’s scope of practice in mental health.

The Importance Of A Self-Determination Integrated Transition-To-Work Program For Young Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Program Development Plan, Carissa Bellino

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone experience was completed at Beyond the Challenge, an adult day program for young adults with Down Syndrome. The goal was advocating for the need to address "soft skills" for successful employment. The final outcomes was the development and implementation of an 8-week program promoting self-determination skills through work-related activities.

Inclusive Postsecondary Education For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Allyson Fedor

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone facilitated the development of the RISE Program at Cleveland State University, a certificate program for young adults with intellectual disabilities- including academic coursework, opportunities for employment, independent living, social participation, and self-determination. Activities focused on the peer mentorship program and supports for student wellness, residence life, and campus engagement.

Advocacy For Accessible Air Travel, Alexandra Bruce, Lydia Kite, Zeida Gutierrez

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Problem: Passengers with disabilities decreased participation in air travel due to anxiety fear of injury, and damage to their assistive technology devices limits their ability to participate in occupations where air travel is used.

Purpose To highlight a need for occupational therapy (OT) collaboration with airlines and related stakeholders; and to advocate for more accessible air travel within the airline industry that can lead to a more safe experience for air travelers with disabilities.

‘Can You See What I See?’: An Art Project Promoting Living Well With Dementia, Jennifer K. Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Caroline Hyland, an illustrator and former occupational therapist based in Dublin, Ireland, provided the cover art for the Winter 2023 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Can You See What I See?” is an acrylic painting on black textured paper. The piece was inspired by Caroline’s grandmother Kathleen Duhig, her love of flowers, and the song “The Dutchman.” Kathleen and three of her sisters lived with dementia. This painting, and several others, are featured in a book Caroline wrote to support living well with dementia. By combining her artistic talents and training as an occupational therapist, Caroline …

Experiential Education In Advocacy For Occupational Therapy Students: Didactic Approaches And Learning Outcomes, Aaron Bonsall, Rebecca L. Wolf, Abe Saffer

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Advocacy is a foundational value in occupational therapy, but uniformity in teaching and learning advocacy is lacking. This paper proposes and reports on the implementation of an advocacy course based on experiential education. The objective of the study was to evaluate student learning after an advocacy course with an experiential education component using an open-ended survey design. Participants were occupational therapy doctoral students, and the setting was a course taught in a health sciences university. Students voluntarily completed a four-item anonymous survey after participating in an experiential advocacy course. Written responses were coded into themes using an inductive approach. The …

Exploring The Knowledge And Perception Of The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Concussion Management In An Interdisciplinary Sports Medicine Center, Courtney J. Leiter

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to identify the need for occupational therapists (OTs) in the management of sport-related concussion symptoms and work to educate and advocate for the field to be included as a part of an interdisciplinary concussion care team. The primary focus was to determine support for the use of interdisciplinary educational (IPE) demonstrations to educate health care professionals and graduate students on the scope and services OTs can offer within concussion care. A pre-post survey was utilized to evaluate the agreement levels on the use of an IPE demonstration to increase knowledge and perception of the …

Understanding Advocacy For Promoting Occupational Engagement Among Individuals With Disabilities, Rebecca L. Benson

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Advocacy can greatly affect many individuals throughout the community in their ability to engage in occupations. Individuals’ with disabilities engagement in daily activities (occupations) is greatly affected by their diagnosis whether it be physical, psychological, or developmental. This population experiences disadvantages due to many barriers in society including physical, sensual, visual, and cognitive barriers as well as societal attitudes, and absence of policy and implementation. These disadvantages are not always recognized or known by the general public despite the number of individuals who are impacted. The lack of knowledge creates a need for advocacy, education, and training of the community …

Expanding The Role Of Occupational Therapy For Oncology Patients: A Focus On Tumor- And Blood-Based Cancers, Erika N. Clark

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Tumor and blood-based cancer diagnosis rates are increasing rapidly in the United States. To improve survivorship, treatment practices are constantly evolving, however, patients are often left to face the consequences of survival. With decreased range of motion, strength, and ability to participate in desired activities, patients may experience a decrease in overall quality of life. Through a holistic lens, occupational therapists are well suited to address the diverse needs of cancer patients through the duration of their cancer treatments. Unfortunately, occupational therapy remains a widely underutilized service for this population. This capstone experience worked to address this gap by expanding …

Promoting Inclusive Play And Social Skills Development In Sioux Falls And Harrisburg, South Dakota, Madison C. Snelling

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

A lack of inclusive play opportunities hinders children's development and participation in a meaningful occupation. The purpose of this 14-week capstone experience was to advocate for inclusive playgrounds and play spaces in daycares, community recreation centers, and community playgrounds in addition to gaining further clinical skills in pediatrics providing home-based occupational therapy services and social skills interventions. Methods included caseload management, developing and facilitating social skills groups for children 4-5 years, and completing evaluations of current play spaces in Sioux Falls and Harrisburg, S.D.

Early Intervention Occupational Therapy Program Development Abroad, Hattie Fleming, Karen Park

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This program aimed to address the disparity in access to early intervention (EI) occupational therapy (OT) services which exists in certain communities abroad. This project worked with The Inspiration Center (TIC) in Belize, a community identified through needs assessment as having limited access to OT services, to expand current programming to include EI OT services, to increase understanding of the role of OT, to advocate for the OT profession within Belize, and to increase access to EI services for families with children with disability and/or developmental delay within the country. An emphasis was placed on caregiver coaching and culturally responsive …

Advocating For Occupational Therapy In The Pediatric Primary Care Setting, Margaret Bauer

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This project explored the experiences of caregivers interacting within the pediatric primary care setting in order to determine a need for occupational therapy to help support acquisition of child developmental milestones, screening for developmental delays, and implementation of health behaviors into family routines. An IRB research study was conducted to survey primary caregivers of children across the country to ascertain their experiences and knowledge of OT, ease of health behavior implementation, and comfortably discussing child development with their pediatrician's. A needs assessment survey was distributed at a San Diego pediatric primary care clinic, and a program was developed to support …

Situated Cognition And Self-Directed Learning: Pedagogical Approaches To Developing Skills In Advocacy, Kathleen Eglseder, Sonia Lawson, Reanna Beatty

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Advocacy for clients and the profession are important aspects of occupational therapy practice. Accreditation requirements for educational programs demand students are taught about advocacy. However, effective methods of teaching advocacy to future occupational therapy practitioners have not been widely studied. This article aims to highlight the use of situated cognition and self-directed learning in developing advocacy skills among occupational therapy students. Pre and post-test scores of the Advocacy Competencies Self-Assessment Survey obtained from 39 students were examined for changes in perception of personal advocacy skills and beliefs associated with a required advocacy course. Statistically significant improvement was noted across all …

An Educational Resource For Young Adults With Disabilities, Their Caregivers, And Clinicians In The Driver Learning Environment, Destinee Logan, Missy Bell, Angela Labrie Blackwell

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Driving and community mobility are essential occupations for growing independence and identity. Young adults who are transitioning into adulthood have a desire to engage in their community, and it is at this time that an interest in driving begins. Driving is a complex occupation that requires in-depth education and experience to safely participate in.

Learning to drive can be challenging, especially for a person with a disability. Young adults with disabilities confront several community concerns that limit their ability to participate in the meaningful activity of driving. Those with disabilities often rely on their support systems to help guide their …

Advocating For The Field Of Occupational Therapy In A Childcare Setting, Nicole K. Leinhart

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Significant physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development occurs during the first five years of life; many children spend time in the childcare setting during this crucial time of development. Appropriately meeting the needs of children is important for healthy growth and development throughout an individual’s life. Working in collaboration with the childcare staff, occupational therapists are beneficial when working with the pediatric population. With their extensive knowledge, expertise, and training in human development, as well as the physiological, psychological, social, and emotional needs of individuals throughout the lifespan, occupational therapists improve the children’s engagement and success within a childcare setting. …

Withdrawing Without Withholding: A Quantitative Report Of Factors Indicative Of The Need For Early Rehabilitation Services After Intrauterine Drug Exposure, Brooke G. Bohanan

OTD Capstone Projects

Maternal opioid use is a proliferative epidemic leading to a widespread increase in cases of Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and intrauterine drug exposure (IUDE). Much information has yet to be discovered regarding best practice in treatment and the long-term effects of these diagnoses. This retrospective chart review was conducted to increase awareness and achieve a greater understanding of early developmental deficits and intervention in this population. The researchers hypothesized that there are predictive factors of a later need for therapy services. Potentially influential factors and the prevalence of rehabilitation services provided after discharge from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) …

Strategies For Promoting Engagement In Youth Advocacy Program, Dana Murray

OTD Capstone Projects

The focus of this capstone project was to increase participation in and awareness of Thiiirdspace, a youth program through Family Voices of Tennessee. This was primarily done through the use of Instagram and the creation of a marketing procedure.

Designing An Educational Program To Promote Diversity And Student Engagement In Professional Advocacy (Sepa), Jessica Alden, Lynda Hill, Felecia Moore Banks, Ronan Connolly, Julius Ngwa

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Little is understood about best educational strategies to engage diverse occupational therapy students in professional advocacy. The purpose of this research was to use design-based research (DBR) methods to design a novel educational intervention to promote professional engagement of diverse students over three subsequent years. This study used a pre/post design to design, implement, evaluate, and revise an educational program entitled “Student Engagement in Professional Advocacy” (SEPA). This manuscript reports on the first year of that study. The participants (N=27) were entry-level Master of Science occupational therapy students. The outcome measure was a survey measuring student knowledge, attitude, and participation …

They Said: Perspectives On Capstone Experience And Projects In Occupational Therapy, Rondalyn V. Whitney, Guy Mccormack

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Conceptualizing Occupational Therapists’ Change Agent Role To Support Entry-Level Pedagogical Activities: Results From A Scoping Study, Annie Carrier, Michaël Beaudoin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level programs are expected to support occupational therapy students in developing knowledge and skills pertaining to the change agent role. To do so, a detailed, multidimensional conceptualization of this role is necessary. To date, in the occupational therapy profession, there is no such conceptualization, which might impact educators’ ability to conduct relevant pedagogical activities. Our study aimed to explore the dimensions of the change agent role for occupational therapy practitioners. We undertook a scoping study of the scientific and grey literature up to August 31, 2018 to “map” what is known about the change agent role. We searched nine databases, …

Advocacy-Related Occupations Among People With Disabilities: Assessing Program Outcomes Of An Advocacy Workshop, Audrey Tarbutton, Stefanie Austin, Rachel Bendewald, Hayley Monforte

Community Based

An emerging area of occupational therapy (OT) practice includes program development for persons with disabilities (PWD). These programs are designed to train PWD how to identify issues and advocate for inclusion and accessibility (Umeda et al., 2017). Among the available literature on community-based advocacy programs, results show positive social outcomes including increased self-advocacy knowledge and related behaviors (i.e. Kramer, 2015; Mishna et al., 2011). Regarding the present study, an advocacy training program titled “Community Organizing Advocacy Skills Training” (COAST) was developed using the Midwest Academy Training Manual for the Advocate. The purpose of this study was to pilot a tool …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Ivelisse Lazzarini, Otd, Ashley Timm, Aspen Pitcher

Oral History Posters

This life history is one of 30 life history interviews which are part of a larger project,Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) at the National Level and Beyond. The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Julie D Bass, Phd, Otr/L, Faota, Michaela Zins, Taylor Beatty

Oral History Posters

Objective: The purpose of the life history of Julie Bass, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is to gain an insight into her life, her leadership experiences, and her years of work in the occupational therapy (OT) profession to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of how occupational therapy practice has evolved over time.

Method: An in-depth, semi-structured interview was guided by an interview schedule prepared by the project directors. The interview took place via Zoom conference at the University of North Dakota and lasted two hours. The interview was transcribed verbatim and coded with 22 codes. The codes …

Occupational Therapy Practitioner Knowledge And Use Of Medicaid Home And Community Based Service Waivers, Alyssa Zaffos

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Medicaid Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) waivers have allowed adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to remain in the community rather than transition to institutionalization. HCBS waivers vary drastically from state to state limiting consistency in services offered to adults with IDD within the community. Majority of HCBS waivers offered to adults with IDD do not fund occupational therapy as a habilitative service due to a variety of reasons. Many adults with IDD are negatively impacted by not receiving necessary services. After preliminary research, it was noted that there is limited information regarding occupational therapy practitioner knowledge of …

Interprofessional Education Enhancement: Inclusion Of Occupational Therapy, Julie Woodnorth, Heather A. Davidson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The increase in interprofessional education (IPE) opportunities provides an excellent opportunity for occupational therapy (OT) educators to partner with other health professions to deepen the understanding of how the OT profession adds value to future healthcare teams. The purpose of this study was to describe the development and impact of a curricular unit about the OT profession that was integrated into an established IPE program for medical, advanced practice nursing, pharmacy and social work students. A Needs Assessment was conducted by embedding an OT consultant within interprofessional student teams working in clinical environments over six weeks to observe baseline understanding …

Evaluation Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Thomas Fisher, Phd, Otr, Ccm, Faota, Hailey Axtell, Ty Berg

Oral History Posters

Purpose Statement

This life history is one of 30 life history interviews which are part of a larger project,Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) at the National Level and Beyond. The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Donna Costa, Macie Romsdal, Taylor Anderson

Oral History Posters

Objective: The purpose of study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information.

Method: An in depth, semi-structured, 75-minute interview was conducted from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences through Zoom. The interview was transcribed verbatim and coded. The …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Dr. Donald Walkovich, Dhsc, Otr/L, Faota, Kalindi Rachey

Oral History Posters

Objective. The purpose of this study is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists (OTs) a view of the history of occupational therapy (OT) practice and how it has evolved from its inception to the current practice.

Method. A one hour, semi-structured interview was conducted with Dr. Walkovich and one OT student from the University of North Dakota. The interview was transcribed and the interview data was coded and compared with the history of the OT profession.

Results. The predominant categories that emerged during data analysis were his involvement in the profession of OT were Occupational Therapy, Education, …

The Evolution Of Occupational Therapy: Life History Of Shirley A. Wells, Drph, Otr, Faota, Hope Schuster, Hailey Johnson

Oral History Posters

Objective: The purpose of the life history of Dr. Shirley Wells is to gain an insight about her life experiences and leadership throughout her years of work in the profession of occupational therapy.

Method: An in-depth, semi-structured, hour and a half interview was conducted via the telecommunication app, Zoom. The interview was later transcribed verbatim and coded for the emergent categories and corresponding themes.

Results: The predominant categories representing the major elements of her life history were overcoming challenges, providing a seat at the table, and developing practice. The findings indicate that she made a significant impact for …

Life History Of Gwendalyn Soiseth, Mot, Otr/L, Jessica Drady, Marissa Rahlf

Oral History Posters

The life history of Gwendalyn Soiseth was one of 31 life history interviews conducted apart of a larger project of Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Develop Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. Purpose of this Life History is to gain historical information regarding the changes in OT practice from individuals such as Gwendalyn Soiseth who have been influential in the development of OT in these two states. This study is intended to provide current and future occupational therapists a glimpse into the history of how OT practice has evolved in North Dakota and Wyoming. …