Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Connected Rhythm: A Scoping Review Of Therapeutic Drumming As An Intervention For Autistic Individuals, Zahava L. Friedman, Jorge Ochoa, Dina Prisco, Francine M. Seruya

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurologically-based developmental disorder representing a subdomain of neurodivergence. Occupational therapy intervention for ASD typically incorporates sensory modalities, addressing a multitude of challenges, including mental health outcomes. This scoping review analyzes available evidence of the sensory-based intervention of therapeutic drumming (TD) to improve mental health in autistic clients.

Method: Following the Johanna Briggs methodological framework, Proquest, Ebsco, Scopus and OTseeker databases were searched with the key and related words of “autism,” “therapeutic drumming,” and “mental health,” yielding 448 articles. After removal of duplicates and application of inclusion criteria, seventeen articles were included …

Supporting Oaxacan Youth Mental Health, Academic Achievement, And Cultural Connection, Itahi Arteaga, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga, Rebecca Heymann

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Oaxacan Indigenous youth in the U.S. experience generational, cultural, and social conflicts that impact their participation, performance, and well-being, yet there are no occupation-based programs that address their mental health, academic achievement, and cultural connection In San Diego.

The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a culturally-informed occupational therapy program for Oaxacan indigenous youth that will motivate and provide the skills needed to navigate different cultures while encouraging belonging.

Employment And Mental Matters Amongst Formerly Incarcerated Women, Convalecia Johnson, Monica Watford, Stephanie Riedmueller

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project was to implement a program for formerly incarcerated women to provide employment preparation and mental health resources to address recidivism. An occupational therapy lens was used to develop and execute this program. One on one Zoom sessions were held for participants to work on resumes and mock interviews for employment preparation. Participants were also provided with a resource guide for future reference. A mixed methods approach was utilized to analyze the data from the pre and post program surveys administered to the participants. Based on the results, the participants found the program to be beneficial …

An Exploration Of Intimate Partner Violence In Lgbt Relationships, Amaris Sanvictores, Karen Park

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals experience disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Findings report rates of IPV among LGBT individuals ranging from 31.1%-61.1%, which is higher compared to 29%-35% with their cisgender peers. There is limited research regarding the impact of IPV in LGBT relationships through an occupational therapy lens. Purpose: This research project intends to identify occupational limitations by addressing the required needs and resources of individuals from LGBT IPV to improve their quality of life. The research acquired can be used to identify problem areas to provide …

An Occupational Therapy Guide To Regulation And Resilience In The Classroom, Catherine Newton, Jazminne Orozco-Arteaga

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

An occupational therapy educational program that focuses on increasing teachers' knowledge surrounding childhood trauma as well as promoting regulation and resilience in the classroom.

Suicide Prevention In The Adolescent And Young Adult Population, Marlee June Stepp

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones

Suicide is a complex topic and requires a multi-discplinary approach. Various health professionals need to be involved in the training and care of suicide prevention. There is a lack of standardized approach in medical schools to properly train students in suicide prevention. Advocacy, awareness, and evidence-based training are needed.

Educating Healthcare Professionals On Burnout Risk Factors, Effects, & Interventions, Rian Thomas

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones

Purpose: Address the occupational phenomena of burnout through the intervention of education by making aware the risk factors of obtaining it, its effects on an individual, and interventions that can combat it. Program Development: Utilized evidence based resources to create an educational module to present to the staff and healthcare workers of the site. The module included risk factors that increase the chances of obtaining burnout, the effects of burnout on an individual, and interventions that have been proven to have positive effects on combating burnout.

Effectiveness Of Life Skills Training To Increase Self-Sufficiency In Individuals With Substance Abuse: A Research Study, Shayla Dickson

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones

Drug and alcohol addiction is a growing disease of concern in society. There is also a lack of evidence regarding the contribution that occupational therapy (OT) can offer this particular population. Due to the varying needs of the individuals and the occupational disturbances that are a central component of addiction (Martin et al., 2015), diverse focus areas of OT could provide a more holistic provision of services to build life skills needed for improved self-sufficiency for sustained sobriety.

Mental Health Education Protocol For Staff Members In An Inpatient Rehabilitation Center, Charles Nicholas Salvatera

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mental health illnesses have a significant impact on the lives of individuals and society. Despite the availability of effective treatments, many people with psychosocial issues or cognitive impairments do not receive the right care. This highlights the importance of timely care and effective help-seeking opportunities. Increased mental health literacy and supportive behaviors in the social networks of people with mental health disorders can be achieved by providing hospital staff with education on mental health disorders. It is believed that improvements in these areas increase the likelihood that people will seek effective assistance. When healthcare providers are educated about mental health …

Mental Health Education For Acute Cardiac Patients, Allison Blackburn

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Innovations in OT Symposium: Transforming Possibilities into Practice

No abstract provided.

Shared Concepts Guiding The Practice Of A Community Occupational Therapy Program Serving Youth With Psychosocial Challenges, Chi-Kwan Shea, Nancy Jackson, Marianna Ayers Sordille

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational therapy services to youth with trauma experiences and mental health challenges may follow unique practice concepts that deserve to be explored and illuminated. The study aimed to explore and identify shared concepts that have been guiding the occupational therapy practice of a community-based program serving the youth population.

Method: The qualitative study analyzed data from transcripts of one-on-one interviews with occupational therapists who serve youth clients in the community-based program. Using a grounded theory qualitative approach, the analysis aimed to highlight unique concepts that the occupational therapists employed in their day-to-day practice with youth who experience …

Initial Validity And User Experience Of A Dynamic Assessment Of Occupational Performance For Transitional Age Youth, Christine Haworth, Genevieve Cyrs, Chi-Kwan Shea

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The Double OT (DOT) assessment is occupation-based and dynamic, designed with a client-centered format requiring skill demonstration. It was developed to support youth transitioning into the workplace. This research intended to analyze initial validity and users’ experience.

Method: This study includes qualitative and quantitative analyses of data collected from surveys from 169 client participants (APs) and 30 recipient participants (ARRs) from eight sites in the USA and Europe. AP were 14­ to 25 years of age and engaged in residential, educational, and vocational settings. The ARRs comprised partners who had received DOT assessment summaries about APs with …

Life Skills Guide For Supported Recovery For Individuals With Mental Health Conditions & Their Support Systems, Natalie Metzger

OTD Capstone Projects

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Davidson County provides educational courses, support groups, and advocacy for individuals with mental health conditions and their support systems. This semester long project included advocacy for occupational therapy’s role in the mental health community, involvement in legislative events, and creation of a comprehensive recovery life skills guide for individuals who have been discharged from psychiatric hospitals. Specifically, this guide assisted them in directed recovery within the home and increased their participation in foundational skills.

Modification Of The Comfortable Cafeteria Program To Foster The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Abigail Barnette

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

The purpose of this capstone was to design and implement a modified lunch program that fits the distinct needs of students with low-incidence disabilities within Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The final product included modified lesson plans and materials that will guide future implementations.

Occupational Therapy For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Clarice Aquila

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone was completed at Cleveland State University as a point of outreach to various organizations in Northeast Ohio to determine the gaps in services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Occupational therapy services within this population have been promoted to various organizations.

Psychosocial Health Intervention In The Intensive Care Unit (Icu): Occupational Therapy's Role, Rachel Kucharczyk

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone adovcated for the importance in addressing psychosocial health for individuals admitted to University Hospitals' Intensive Care Unit(s), specifically from an occupational therapy perspective. This capstone included the creation and implementation of a psychosocial health toolkit containing 50+ resources for therapists to utilize within their practice.

Trauma Recovery On College Campuses, Madison Thomas

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

With the support of REBOOT Recovery, this capstone was completed to bridge the gap between college students who have experienced traumatic events and the lack of tier two services available on Cleveland State's Campus. The goal of this capstone was to show the efficacy of REBOOT Recovery's programming as well as show improvements in overall quality of life.

Using Ot-Based Yoga Programs To Improve Sleep Health Across Populations, Hillary Williams

MOT Student Capstones

Sleep dysfunction affects all ages and inhibits successful engagement in everyday activities. Pain and psychological issues are common factors that contribute to sleep health. There is demand for holistic approaches to promote sleep health due to undesirable effects of medications. Yoga has been shown to improve health and wellness of those who practice and can be a tool to improve symptoms leading to poor sleep health. Sleep is an occupational domain that is underrecognized compared to the full scope of occupational therapy (OT). OTs can implement yoga programs to promote sleep health across the lifespan, because they are skilled in …

An Occupational Therapist Role In Mental Health: Focus In Schizophrenia And Eating Disorders, Stephany Tourtillott, Lakeisa Boykin, Inti Marizita

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Occupational therapy is a field that aims to help a population gain as much independence as possible within all areas of occupation. In many cases and populations, this tends to fall within the physical limitations domain and does not often consider populations where mental health is the main domain affected. In this capstone project, the writer dove into how an occupational therapist can help those with schizophrenia and eating disorders, specifically within the adolescent population. This capstone project began with a literature review in which five significant themes arose: background on mental health, the current treatment of schizophrenia and eating …

Occupational Therapy's Impact Utilizing Trauma-Informed Care With At-Risk Youth, Kerri Lindeman

Capstone Projects

The 14-week capstone experience aimed to advocate and implement occupational therapy (OT) alongside a non-profit organization serving at-risk youth while utilizing trauma-informed care (TIC) approach. Alongside various staff and volunteers, this capstone project focused on aiding underserved children in a variety of age-specific after-school programs. This specific population of youth have limited resources at home. The families in the community have limitations with basic needs including food, water, and shelter. The organization was able to fulfill these basic needs along with activities to meet the developmental needs of each child. Due to their minimal resources, the children also have limited …

Understanding The Mental Health Of Occupational Therapy Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alisha Sharma, Andrea Tyszka

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of health professional students across the world. Although there are a growing number of studies regarding the mental health of other health professional students, there are currently limited studies regarding the mental health of entry-level occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students in the United States, especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this mixed methods survey study was to understand the mental health status of entry-level OT and OTA students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to better support their mental …

An Intentional Wholeness Focus And The Association With Burnout In Graduate Students, Stacey B. Cunningham, Susanne B. Montgomery, Brian J. Distelberg, Qais Alemi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout for university students are concerning. As in other competitive professional fields, graduate students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology face many performance pressures. Creating supportive learning and wholeness climates along with individual grit, resilience, and healthy spirituality have the potential to positively impact these pressures. The study’s purpose was to examine factors related to burnout within an institution committed to creating supportive learning and wholeness environments. Three hundred and fifty-three graduate students from occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology graduate programs were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional …

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’ …

Assessing Asian American And Pacific Islander (Aapi) Teachers’ Workplace Wellness, Fiona Tang, Karen Park, Susan Macdermott, Deja Anderson

Fall 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Teachers have many instructional, behavioral and classroom management, and administrative responsibilities (Cormier et al., 2021; Hilger et al., 2021; Roeser et al., 2022). There is limited research on occupational therapy's role in teacher wellness. This study aimed to assess the challenges and barriers that Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) teachers face, the causes of burnout, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AAPI teachers' wellness. This study used a mixed methods research design, including an online survey and semi-structured interviews, focused on the challenges, barriers, strengths, and needs that AAPI teachers face in public, middle, and high schools …

Enhancing Leisure Participation In An Inpatient Mental Health Setting, Jawad Aqil, Susan Macdermott

Fall 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project, Enhancing Leisure Participation in an Inpatient Mental Health Setting, was completed by a Doctor of Occupational Therapy candidate at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Project objectives aimed to identify and address internal and external barriers related to leisure participation in inpatient mental health settings from an occupational therapy perspective. A literature review of leisure engagement demonstrates beneficial mental health outcomes in correlation with increased leisure engagement during inpatient mental health treatment. However, leisure is often an underutilized facet of mental health treatment. Additionally, individuals with mental health challenges present with individualistic barriers decreasing leisure …

A Scoping Review Exploring The Use Of Art-Making-As-Therapy In Adult Mental Health Occupational Therapy Practice, Alan Johnson, Samantha Ashby, Miranda Lawry

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Art-making-as-therapy has been used by occupational therapists in mental health since the inception of the profession. It aims to enable people to gain mastery and produce art. This review synthesizes the research on the use of art-making as therapy by occupational therapists in adult mental health practice.

Method: Arksey and O’Malley’s 5-stage framework was used. A search of four databases was conducted with the inclusion criteria of papers from 1980 – 2020 using the keywords of occupational therapy, mental health or illness, and art. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results: Of the 847 …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Unplanned Motherhood, Cierra Stewart, Karen Park

Summer 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

For women experiencing unplanned pregnancy, the thought of becoming a mother can increase stress and affect the mother’s mental health. Maternal adjustment can include depression, anxiety, worry, stress, and happiness (Mihelic et al., 2016). The impact that this new role has effects daily demands, leading to a disruption in occupational engagement, environmental changes, and overall less time for the mother (Horne et al., 2005). There is currently not a well-defined role for occupational therapy within pregnancy medical clinics to support women experiencing unplanned pregnancy and their transition to motherhood. The purpose of this project is to provide care to new …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Athletic Retirement, Diana Mellin, Karen Park, Madison Harris

Summer 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Athletic retirement is described as a life transition involving withdrawal from the athletic role. Throughout the process of athletic retirement, individuals experience a loss of identity, roles, routines, and social support which has shown to negatively impact their overall mental health and well-being (Marterella & Smoot, 2017). This study investigated elite athletes’ experiences throughout their transition to athletic retirement, a ten-question online survey and semi-structured interviews were administered. Themes that emerged from the data are occupational adjustment and relearning roles, experiencing a crossroads of identity, external expectations, and pressures. Participants shared experiencing a period of burnout and detachment right after …

Exploration In Mental Performance For Division 1 Sec College Football Student Athletes, Alex Burgdorf

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The stigma surrounding mental health in sports has made intervention difficult. “There is a need for various actors to provide more effective strategies to overcome the stigma that surrounds mental illness, increase mental health literacy in the athlete/coach community, and address athlete-specific barriers to seeking treatment for mental illness” (Castadelli-Maia et.al 2019). The athletes in the football program at the University of Tennessee face more pressure today than ever in history. They have their class schedule, practice and training every day, and meetings with their position coaches. Now, with the introduction of name, image, and likeness (NIL) allowing players to …

Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emily N. Maas, Allison Sullivan, Said Nafai, James Plummer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic. Hospitals, nursing homes, and communities worldwide were flooded with patients diagnosed with COVID-19, resulting in the increased need for medical care and treatment by health care professionals, such as occupational therapists. This study analyzes output from a quantitative online survey design, which was created on SurveyMonkey and included 43 questions. Data from the survey were collected, categorized, and measured through the SurveyMonkey computer system and included information gathered from 204 occupational therapists from October 2020 to February 2020. Based …