Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Delivery Of Trauma-Informed Services To Hospital-Based Clients Ot, Frank Czuba

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Hospitalization can traumatize clients and impact overall health outcomes, leading to increased hospital readmission rates and resulting in a negative impact for both clients and providers. Limited information exists regarding how hospital-based occupational therapists evaluate and address trauma, even though incorporating trauma-informed principles into professional practice can enhance the occupational therapy process. The study explored the comprehension and perceived significance of trauma-informed tenets among occupational therapists delivering services in hospital-based settings. A quantitative research study with an exploratory design was implemented to explore how occupational therapists (OT) understand and utilize trauma-informed practices with their clients in a hospital setting. An …

Organizational Support And Burnout In Occupational And Physical Therapists: A Quantitative Correlational Study In The Acute Care Setting, Brenda Ballou-Boyd Mrs.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: The United States is positioned for an upcoming healthcare crisis with an estimated deficit of 100,000 healthcare professionals by 2028 (Mercer, 2024). Burnout is well documented among the healthcare community and is a major contributing factor to an ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals, including occupational and physical therapists. Most prior research has focused on burnout from a personal level, but addressing burnout from an organizational level may be more effective in reducing this phenomenon among occupational and physical therapy providers.

Purpose: Despite the high levels of burnout reported, a substantial gap exists in research dedicated towards the …

Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being In School-Age Youth, Skylar Simpson

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

School-age youth in the United States increasingly face stressors that disrupt their overall mental well-being, highlighting a need for accessible preventative interventions. To address this gap, this doctoral capstone project developed a program titled Strong Foundations: Supporting Mental Well-Being in School-Age Youth, an evidence- and occupation-based program consisting of various interventions designed to enhance the well-being of youth attending a San Francisco Recreation and Park (SFRPD) community-based summer camp. Through embedding occupational therapy-based programming into an environment that currently lacks dedicated mental well-being promotion methods, the Strong Foundations aims to foster mental well-being among school-age youth through occupational engagement that …

Access Resource Guide For Bay Area Cultural Arts Organizations Developed In Collaboration With People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Clarissa Junio

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Background: Hidden access barriers persist within cultural arts organizations. As a result, people with IDD continue to experience reduced levels of community participation, limiting the associated benefits to health, well-being, and quality of life. Organizational-level occupational therapy (OT) consultation can address barriers and expand organizational capacity to meet the needs of people with IDD.

Purpose: The project aimed to strengthen organizational capacity of Bay Area cultural arts organizations and expand existing accessibility resources by co-developing a resource guide centered on lived experience to maximize community social participation for people with IDD. The guide was disseminated to cultural arts …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Developing Aquatic Programs For Children Diagnosed With Autism, Giavanna Stavros

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

There is a need for inclusion in therapeutic aquatic programming for children diagnosed with autism (ASD), as their increased participation in aquatic interventions and activities promotes safety and well-being for this population. Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) are vital to fill this gap in skill, as pediatric OTs consistently work with children diagnosed with ASD (Jaicks, 2024), and core principles of the occupational therapy (OT) profession include enhancing one’s safety and well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2025). Children diagnosed with ASD must have the opportunity to engage in swimming and aquatic therapy, as this population is at a higher risk …

Sensory Modulation For Adults With Developmental Disabilities: An Occupational Therapy Approach For Adult Day Programs, Aveen Dulai

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

This occupational therapy (OT) doctoral capstone project focused on the development and implementation of a proactive sensory modulation program with the use of Assistive Technology (AT) for adults with Developmental Disabilities (DD) at an adult day program. Adults with DD have diverse needs such as - motor, communication, behavioral, cognitive, and sensory processing challenges. These varying abilities often require AT and environmental adaptations to afford meaningful participation in occupations.  Providing customized and accessible programing for adults with DD arediversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) issues (Kripke, 2018). Often, adult day programs are limited in OT services, including accessible sensory …

Strengthening Communication And Collaboration Between The Student Support Triad (Teachers, Caregivers, And Health Professionals) In Schools, Jasmine E. Henley

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Teachers, caregivers, and health professionals, who are key stakeholders that form a student support triad, each face a range of challenges and barriers that impact their ability to communicate and collaborate with one another, therefore impacting the student and their ability to access and participate in meaningful occupations. Though these challenges and barriers for each stakeholder are well-documented individually, there is limited evidence on solutions to strengthen communication across the triad and solutions that center the student and their engagement in meaningful occupations. This project aims to bridge this gap, despite the greater systemic barriers, by developing remedial solutions that …

Sensory Friendly Summers: Designing Inclusive Camp Experiences For Children With Sensory Processing Challenges, Isandla Blanc

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Children with sensory processing challenges may experience barriers to participation in everyday activities. While summer camps offer opportunities for social development, play, and growth, staff may have limited training and resources to support children with different sensory needs. This can create challenges to participation and inclusion within traditional summer camp environments. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a staff training program aimed at increasing staff understanding of sensory processing and providing practical strategies to support campers with sensory processing challenges.

A project-level needs assessment was conducted through informal staff conversations, observations of daily camp …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Promoting An Accessible Playground Environment For Parents With Physical Disabilities, Molly M. Busby

Occupational Therapy | OTD Capstone Projects

Limited implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards and concepts of universal design in the playground environment restrict parents with physical disabilities' engagement in the co-occupation of visiting the playground with their children. The outdoor playground environment promotes the child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development and has positive benefits on the mental health of the parent. Local community park organizations have the power to make accessibility changes to playgrounds in the community but often they lack the knowledge to do so. The purpose of this capstone project is to facilitate increased inclusivity and physically accessible playground …

From Fog To Function: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Evaluating And Treating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments, Lauren E. Toner

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Cancer – related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common side effect of cancer treatment that interferes with cancer survivors’ occupational performance, independence, and quality of life. Despite its high prevalence, CRCI remains under recognized and inconsistently addressed within oncology care. About 70% of individuals diagnosed with cancer report cognitive changes during or after treatment, yet many do not receive treatment. Occupational therapists are clinically trained to evaluate and treat functional cognition, activities of daily activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and client centered goals, positioning them as key providers in addressing CRCI. However, limited occupational therapy specific resources have hindered …

Post-Stroke Depression (Psd) And Occupational Therapy (Ot) Intensity: A Retrospective Medicare Claims Analysis, Lauren H. Allen

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Purpose: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and burdensome mental health complication following a stroke, affecting approximately one third of survivors. Examining how PSD relates to outpatient occupational therapy (OT) utilization may help identify gaps in post-stroke mental health care and reveal whether current billing practices adequately capture OT services.

Project Goals: This project aimed to determine whether an early PSD diagnosis predicts outpatient OT treatment intensity and describe patterns of OT billing related to mental health, including mental health current procedural terminology (CPT) code use and CPT code distributions.

Site: This project was conducted in collaboration …

Reliability And Generalizability Of An Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Assessment Tool In Japan, Keiko Takeuchi, Hirotaka Onishi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapists require high-quality clinical education to develop the skills needed for safe and effective practice. In Japan, the duration of occupational therapy education is shorter than in many other countries and the rapid expansion of training schools has created new challenges for assuring the quality of fieldwork. Assessment tools used in long-term clinical training must therefore provide sufficient reliability to support fair pass–fail decisions and meaningful feedback. This study examined the reliability of two conventional learner assessment tools used in one Japanese occupational therapy program: a 17-item supervisor rating form and a 10-item faculty rating form completed after debriefing …

Sketching Ot Theory: The Meaning Of Visual Notetaking To Learning Occupational Therapy Theory For Ot Students, Julia Henderson, Delainey Ebel, Ilona Jones, Katie Lee Bunting

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Visual notetaking is a creative learning strategy used in health professions education. This study defines it as any form of notes, recorded using physical or electronic means, that are not solely text-based, but incorporate some degree of color, symbolism, shapes, diagrams, and/or other visual imagery to represent concepts. While no previous studies have investigated visual notetaking in the context of occupational therapy education, occupational therapy’s prevalent use of visual representations to convey complex, relational, and holistic theoretical concepts suggests that visual notetaking may have potential as an inherently aligned and effective pedagogical approach for teaching occupational therapy theory. Our study …

Study Approaches And Mindset In Predicting Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Student Well-Being: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Elena Wong Espiritu, Katie Eison, Maya Pakulski, Alandry Vise, Alexandria West, Ava Woessner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Academic factors (grades, assignments, study approaches, study strategies, rigorous curriculums, workload) and mindset factors (academic resilience, educational self-efficacy) are known individual factors that impact student well-being. However, if and how these factors in combination predict well-being in occupational therapy students has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore study approaches and mindset factors in predicting entry-level occupational therapy student well-being. Entry-level occupational therapy students (master’s and doctorate) from across the United States were recruited (N = 305). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected using four standardized assessments and analyzed using a multiple linear regression. …

Breaking The Boom-Bust Cycle: Supporting Pediatric Fatigue And Participation After Hsct Using The 5-Pet And Caregiver Education, Annelie Claire Kershaw

OTD Capstones

Pediatric patients recovering after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) often experience persistent fatigue, physical deconditioning, cognitive changes, and decreased participation after discharge. Fatigue is complex and multidimensional, making it difficult for children to understand, communicate, and manage as they return to school, play, social activities, and daily life. Occupational therapists are well positioned to support participation, activity pacing, caregiver education, and health management for children recovering after HSCT.

This capstone project addressed the need for developmentally appropriate fatigue management resources through the creation of multiple deliverables. The primary deliverable was the 5-Zone Pediatric Energy and Fatigue Scale (5-PET), which is …

Braided Thoughts: Beautifully Indigenous, Trinity Gould

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

I am an enrolled tribal member of the Spokane Tribe, and I have cultural ties to the surrounding tribes as well. I have a daughter who is currently a first line descendent of my tribe through me, and I want to tell my daughter the importance of our shared culture.

I want to show her through this zine a snippet of our culture traditions and practices to educate her that our culture is still here and we should be proud of who we are and our culture. I want her to uphold our traditions to carry on to the next …

"Mangia, You're Too Skinny": A Story Of Italian Culture, Theresa Oliveri-Montes

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

"Mangia, You're Too Skinny": A Story of Italian Culture is a personal reflection of my Italian heritage. With this zine, I sought to not only explain, but illustrate, pieces of Italian culture and traditions. Each photograph includes members of my family and our food that we prepare.

My family immigrated to the United States from San Giovanni in Fiore, which is a small village in Calabria, located in southern Italy. They did not experience the "American Dream" that is portrayed in the media. Instead, they grappled with fear, prejudice, and the pressure to assimilate, which resulted in the loss of …

Places My Anxiety Lives, Sydney Dombrowik

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Through sharing my story, I hope to increase awareness of how anxiety can influence everyday life and remind others that they are not alone in their mental health journey. The pages in this zine highlight the different environments where my anxiety is most present.

My own experiences have shown me that mental health can have a significant impact on health outcomes, routines, and wellbeing. As a future occupational therapist, I will strive to consider each client's mental health experiences and perspectives when providing client-centered care.

The Culture Of Fast Fashion, Karli Reed

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

As a current Whitworth OTD student, I reacted this zine to educate fellow students and young adults about the impacts of fast fashion. Social media often pressures us to keep up with trends and fit a certain mold, but finding your own voice and style is far more meaningful. Exploring fashion in a more person- and environmentally-friendly way -- such as thrifting, repairing clothing, or investing in quality pieces form ethical brands -- can help reduce many of the issues highlighted in this zine.

As future practitioners/members of society, we can also share these ideas with our clients and peers. …

Rooted: Nature, Belonging, & Occupational Justice, Grace Barnett

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

This zine was created for OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation. I recognize that I cannot speak or represent all cultures, but I approach this work with cultural curiosity and a commitment to learning. I was intentional about not speaking for others, but instead reflecting on my own understanding, experiences, and using scholarly articles.

I chose this topic because environments have a powerful influence on occupational participation. Nature, in particular, has been a source of healing, grounding, and comfort in my own life, which shaped my interest in exploring this connection more deeply though an occupational lens.

One of the …

The Stories That Shape Us, Brenna Strand

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Reading has always been a meaningful occupation in my life. Some of my earliest memories involve my family gathering around stories, reading a chapter of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson before bed, or sharing stories around a campfire. These rituals shaped my sense of connection, imagination, and belonging. However, when I entered school and began struggling to read independently, I felt a growing disconnect from the culture and routines that had once grounded me. That experience made me aware of how deeply reading influences identity, confidence, and participation in everyday life.

This zine explores reading through an occupational therapy lens, …

What If I Fail...?, Benjamin Janke

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

The theme of "fear of failure" is a unique field in occupational therapy because of the power it has to completely inhibit or affirm occupational participation. Fear of failure is something that has been a struggle in my past and is still part of my life that I'm trying to work on as a person and as an aspiring occupational therapy practitioner.

Even though failing is difficult and sometimes painful, it's amazing to see what rises in its place with time. Because of how unique our fears and perceptions about failure are, we must utilize cultural humility and holistic care …

Finding My Voice In The City Of Destiny: Music, Identity, And Occupational Justice In Tacoma's Creative Culture, Bella Holtz

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Tacoma's music culture taught me that participation is more than simply doing an activity. Through music, I found identity, belonging, and a deeper understanding of community. As a future occupational therapist, I hope others access meaningful occupations that allow them to discover their own voice.

Looking Out, Looking In: Air Travel, Culture, & Occupational Justice, Ashley Compton

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

As I continue becoming an occupational therapist, I've found myself caring more deeply about accessibility, inclusion, and the different ways people experience participation in meaningful occupations. This zine gave me the opportunity to think about travel as a meaningful occupation that can be shaped by culture, identity, privilege, accessibility, and opportunity.

Travel, particularly air travel, has shaped so much of who I am, and creating this zine helped me think more deeply about what it means to participate in the world. My hope is that it encourages others to think about who may be left out and how we can …

Stitched With Purpose, Abigail Gooler

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

I chose this topic for this zine because fiber arts have become a meaningful part of my life. What began as a hobby during the COVID pandemic has grown into a way for me to manage stress, find purpose through creating, and build a small business.

This project deepened my understanding of occupational justice and the way that occupations are shaped by culture, gender, access, and social determinants of health. It challenged me to view what is an everyday occupation for me as culturally significant and, at times, political.

This project also reminded me of the privilege I have to …

Girl, Just Shut Up & Take An Advil: A Zine About Periods, Participation, And Why We All Became Experts At The Tampon-To-Sleeve Transfer, Alexa Ford

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

Like many people, I learned early on that menstruation was something to manage quietly. I learned how to check for stains without making it obvious. I learned how to strategically tie a sweatshirt around my waist. I learned that asking, "Do you have one?" across a public restroom often resullts in an immediate and enthusiastic, "Yes, girl. What do you need?" Over time, I realized these weren't just funny shared experiences. They reflected something bigger. The silence. The stigma. The expectation that people should function through discomfort without complaint.

As I've learned more through occupational therapy, I've started to understand …

How To Be 2slgbtqia+ And Neurodivergent Affirming As An Occupational Therapist, Ellie Shoop

OTD 721: Cultural Responsiveness & Occupation

When we were asked at the beginning of our class, "What is one thing you have experienced that you wish no one would ever have to experience again?", by author and occupational therapist Elizabeth Ching, OTD, M.Ed., BSOT, OTR/L, my mind began to swirl with ideas. I identify as a gay, white, neurodivergent, non-binary person, and I wish that no one would be misgendered or have their sexuality assumed by health professionals ever again. I also wish that people with neurodivergent brains would be given the support they need to thrive in a world that was not built with us …

Doing Drag: Exploring The Experiences Of Drag As An Occupation For Performers In California, Alicia Montes, Anna Ranario, Lilibeth Rosales, Eileen Spahle, Nathan Gelman, Laura Greiss Hess, Karen Mccarthy

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Background: Drag is a performative art where individuals explore identity, challenge societal norms, and foster community through exaggerated gendered performance. Drag in the United States is facing potential restrictions and remains underexplored in occupational science and occupational therapy literature.

Methods: This qualitative study explored the experiences of drag performers in California, applying an occupational perspective through the framework of form, function, and meaning. Five drag performers were interviewed. Reflective thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative data.

Findings: Identity was the central theme, interconnected with form, belonging, non-belonging, meaning and motivation, and resistive occupation. Findings highlight drag …

Bridging Evidence To Practice: Development Of An Evidence- Based Occupational Therapy Protocol For Early Rehabilitation Of Adults With Disorders Of Consciousness, Jessie D. Brian

OTD Capstones

Patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) following critical illness often experience prolonged hospitalization, delayed functional recovery, and limited access to early rehabilitation services. In acute care settings, occupational therapy (OT) plays a critical role in sensory stimulation, positioning, caregiver education, and the promotion of arousal and participation; however, interventions are often delayed or inconsistently implemented. A retrospective review of patient data at Concord Hospital identified low rates of early OT involvement among mechanically ventilated patients with OT orders, highlighting a gap in standardized rehabilitation practices for this medically complex population. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to develop …

Seeing Success Through Functional Vision: Screening, Education, And Intervention Within Mtss For Kindergarten Students, Falynne Marie Rzezuski

OTD Capstones

Visual skills are essential for participation in early academic tasks including reading, writing, classroom engagement, and learning. However, functional vision difficulties often go unrecognized in kindergarten students, potentially affecting their academic performance and ability to learn within educational settings. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and pilot a functional vision screening tool and program using a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework for kindergarten students. A literature review informed the development of the project, including the creation of the functional visual screening tool, integration within MTSS, Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, and educational resources for educators …