Occupational Therapy Commons^™

The Effectiveness And Feasibility Of Telehealth Occupational Performance Coaching With Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Case Study, Mara Sampson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: College students with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience occupational performance barriers, impeding participation. Limited evidence-based techniques are available to therapists working with this population. Telehealth Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) has been found to be an effective treatment technique for improving occupational performance and self-determination for populations outside of college students with ID.

Purpose: The purpose of this experimental case study was to test whether participation in a telehealth OPC program for college students with ID increases occupational performance, occupational satisfaction, and self-determination.

Theoretical Framework: Self-Determination Theory and the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) provide for the theoretical …

Impact Of Iadl Interventions On Discharge Readiness: Musculoskeletal Conditions In Inpatient Rehabilitation, Kasi B. Gannon

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Musculoskeletal conditions are the highest contributing cause of the need for rehabilitation globally, and are common conditions treated by occupational therapy in inpatient rehabilitation. Basic activities of daily living (BADLs) are the main focus of rehabilitation in these settings, which may leave clients unprepared to complete important higher level instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) at home.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) intervention and training has on individuals’ perceived discharge readiness and quality indicator scoring for those admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility with a musculoskeletal …

Prosthetic Attention In Upper Limb Loss: User Experiences, Clinical Perceptions, And Developing Candidate Items, Tanu Bhargava

Theses and Dissertations

The human hand is a powerful tool essential for performing a range of tasks from simple to complex, and it plays a crucial role in social interactions and environmental engagement. Upper limb (UL) loss disrupts these functions and significantly impacts daily life. Prosthetic devices can partially restore these abilities and improve quality of life, but they lack the intuitive control and sensory feedback of natural hands. Consequently, operating a UL prosthesis requires substantial attentional demands, a factor that potentially contributes to high rates of device dissatisfaction and disuse. For UL prosthesis users, managing attentional resources is critical to efficiently controlling …

Supporting The Well-Being And Engagement Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Sensory Modulation: A Pilot Study, Rebecca Matson, Jo Linforth, Julie Hanna, Vikki Barnes-Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Student well-being is an increasing area of concern within higher education and one of the biggest causes of attrition. This study sought to investigate the potential for sensory modulation strategies as an approach to support student well-being and engagement in studies through an action research project. Sixteen second-year occupational therapy students took part in a two-week trial of items designed to support sensory modulation, following which they were asked to complete an online survey evaluating the effectiveness of the item in relation to affect, regulation, attention, and activity. Eight students completed the survey containing a mix of Likert scale and …

An Evaluation Of The Rural Gobabygo Program At West Virginia University, Shayna Rexrode, Alexa Morgan, Haleigh Parsons, Holly Raines

Graduate Student Scholarship

The GoBabyGo program is a powered mobility program for young children with mobility and/or cognitive deficits that aims to increase their social participation, environmental exploration, and overall play abilities. This study aims to evaluate the rural GoBabyGo program at West Virginia University through caregiver and therapist perceptions. Traditionally, the GoBabyGo program process occurs primarily in person and includes consultation, builds, modifications, and delivery. Due to the rural nature of West Virginia, environmental barriers have led to the use of virtual services with the GoBabyGo program at West Virginia University. Evaluating these novel services is essential to successfully continuing the GoBabyGo …

Covid-19 Pandemic’S Effect On Occupational Therapy Students’ Time-Use And Occupational Engagement On Returning To In-Person Learning, Jhannell Hannah D. Ocampo, Susan Macdermott, Karen Mccarthy

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic emotionally and physically impacted students in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs. College students lost autonomy and access to meaningful occupations and environments. As students returned to campus, they struggled to navigate and adapt to in-person occupations and how they use their time. This study uses a mixed method descriptive research design to understand how the pandemic affected occupational therapy students' time-use and occupational engagement during the transition to in-person learning. Seventy-three students completed an online survey, while 12 of those students additionally participated in a follow-up time-use diary and interview. Eighty-three percent of the participants …

Use Of An Education And Coaching Intervention To Promote Occupational Balance In Graduate Occupational Therapy Students, Linda M. Rini, Ingrid Provident

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This small-scale pilot study was developed to examine the perceived occupational balance of graduate occupational therapy students and implement an education and coaching intervention to promote occupational balance for those who have difficulty achieving and maintaining it. Although literature provides many examples of interventions to facilitate stress relief in graduate students, this is the first to address the promotion of occupational balance in this effort, which has been identified as a student-reported need. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on occupational therapy students’ satisfaction with their balance of activity in all areas of …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Interprofessional Education Experiential Learning (Ipeel) For Health Professional Students, Kelle Deboth Foust, Madalynn Wendland, John Schaefer, Suzanne Giuffre, Donald Allensworth-Davies

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Interprofessional education (IPE) is critical for health professional students to form professional identities and develop collaborative skills. Although accrediting bodies mandate incorporating IPE, the effects of IPE programming on health professional students and the best pedagogical approach for achieving desirable outcomes are still unclear. In addition, specific effects of IPE within the context of experiential learning are not fully understood. That is, the literature has not presented a clear framework for structuring IPE programs, nor have outcome measures for IPE utilizing experiential learning (IPEEL) been established. The purpose of this study was to complete a grounded theory qualitative analysis of …

A Model For Interprofessional Education Between Occupational Therapy And Accounting Students: A Mixed-Methods Study, Angela Lampe, Brenda Coppard, Alison Maloy, Yongyue Qi

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This interprofessional education (IPE) project was designed to prepare students to work and lead in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. The purpose of this project is to describe and measure accounting and occupational therapy students’ perception and value of participating in an IPE learning activity and how the activity enriched the learning environment and identified gaps of knowledge to improve teaching. A mixed methods pre- post-survey design was used to collect quantitative data from a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9a) from 115 occupational therapy and 21 accounting students. Qualitative data was collected from a post-survey …

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education To Address Substance Use Disorders: Education In Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment (Sbirt), Jill M. Brown, Kathleen Schachman, Meghan Baruth

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

As substance use disorders (SUDs) continue to rise in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational therapy practitioners are in a unique position to help individuals seek immediate screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment upon first entry in a healthcare setting. Occupational therapy practitioners have helped individuals overcome SUDs since almost the beginning of the profession, however, there is a paucity of literature on entry-level practitioners’ preparedness for such work. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an entry-level occupational therapy curriculum module on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), a universal public …

The Use Of Virtual Reality For Student Training On Bias And Microaggressions, Razan Hamed, Elizabeth Gdanski, Jooeun Kim, Julianne Le, Amy Lopez, Azmina Panjwani, Allyson Tong, Gloriana Wilson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive innovative technology that can be used with occupational therapy students for bias training in preparation for fieldwork and clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of VR as a complementary educational tool in bias and microaggressions (MA) training for entry-level occupational therapy students. We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected in an 8-week course on diversity, equity, inclusion, and professional skills with a total of 48 first-year entry-level occupational therapy students. We used eight simulated VR cases for all students. Data was collected using a mixed-method survey to …

Learning Outcomes Of Hybrid In-Person And At-Home Orthosis Fabrication Instruction For Occupational Therapy Students, Evelyn Lee, Amanda Leung, Sylvia Langlois, Susan Hannah

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational therapy students at one university received all orthosis fabrication education through an in-person laboratory-based environment supported by clinicians and instructional videos. Due to the pandemic restrictions, orthosis fabrication labs for occupational therapy students were transitioned to a hybrid in-person and at-home supported lab. Presently, there is no research investigating how a hybrid in-person orthosis lab and at-home orthosis fabrication experience impacts the professional practice skill development of occupational therapy students entering the workforce. This research examined the learning outcomes of participation in a hybrid orthosis fabrication experience consisting of one in-person laboratory-based experience and …

Perceptions Regarding Hand Therapy Content In Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs, Lauren Fiori, Karen Majeski

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There are a substantial number of Certified Hand Therapists reaching retirement age in the next decade, however, there are few newer graduates who are pursuing this specialty. Students’ lack of clinical knowledge has shown to be a barrier to successfully completing a hand therapy fieldwork affiliation. The purpose of the study is to investigate: (1) the perceptions of the clinicians working in hand therapy and students regarding the integration of hand therapy content in entry-level occupational therapy programs, and (2) the perceptions of both groups as to which content is deemed essential for a successful hand therapy fieldwork placement. This …

Fieldwork Educators’ Perceptions Of The Revised Fieldwork Performance Evaluation, Todd Sanders, Amanda M. Carpenter

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Fieldwork Performance Evaluation plays a vital role in occupational therapy education by guiding students and fieldwork educators in determining students' entry-level competence. This evaluation tool dates to 1953 and has undergone numerous revisions as the profession evolved and changes were made to the practice framework. Revisions have included changes to the stated purpose of the evaluation tool, items to be scored, scoring scale, and number of items on the tool. The purpose of this study was to survey Academic Fieldwork Coordinators (AFWCs) to examine their perceptions of the 2020 revision of the evaluation. We surveyed …

Survey Of Pain Curriculum Among Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs In The United States, John V. Rider, Vicki Khau, Kristin A. Valdes

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy practitioners address pain management across settings, populations, and the lifespan. Occupational therapy practitioners offer unique contributions to pain management through biopsychosocial approaches, targeting supported self-management and occupational engagement. Comprehensive pain education is necessary to prepare entry-level occupational therapy practitioners to address pain in practice, yet no standards exist in entry-level occupational therapy education. This survey describes the status of pain-related education in entry-level occupational therapy programs across the United States. A total of 41 entry-level occupational therapy programs completed the survey. Total instructional time for pain content was reported to be an average of 9.68 hours, ranging from …

Mentored Practice In Aota Fellowship Programs: An Exploratory Phenomenological Study, Jennifer L. Bergstrom

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

American Occupational Therapy Association fellowship programs are an emerging post-professional educational opportunity aimed at developing practitioners in specialized areas of occupational therapy practice. Mentored practice is a critical and substantial component of fellowship programs; however, the experiences of mentors and fellows have not been well described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to describe the mentored practice experience from the perspectives of the fellow and mentor. This study sought to understand the perceived influence mentored practice may have on the advancement of skills and knowledge in specialty practice areas of occupational therapy. A qualitative exploratory phenomenological design …

Mapping Review Of Fieldwork Education Literature, William E. Janes, Becki Cohill, Ann Cook, Anne Escher, Stacia Galey, Debra J. Hanson, Elizabeth D. Lequieu, Devon Olson, Kari Williams, Jayson Zeigler

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork is an integral phase of occupational therapy education, bolstered by a small but growing evidence base. A broad understanding of the state of that evidence base is necessary to inform the directions for future growth. The purpose of this work was to establish the current state of occupational therapy fieldwork literature, map that literature to recognized criteria for educational research, and identify gaps in the existing literature. Authors followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct a mapping review of articles with a primary focus on fieldwork education of occupational therapy (OT) or occupational …

A Pilot Sexual Device Adaptation Project For Occupational Therapy Students: A Skills-Based Approach To Teaching Sexual Activity As An Adl Through Assistive Technology, Benjamin E. Canter, Zoe M. Loitz, Victoria E. Richardson, Tatiana B. Pontes, Leanna Katz, Kevin Berner, Pedro Htq Almeida

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite being categorized as an activity of daily living since the first edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, no Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards exist to provide guidance on teaching occupational therapy students about sexual activity as an activity of daily living (ADL). When discussed, sexual activity is usually taught via didactic lecture, but is a subject that would benefit from a skills-based approach to teaching. This pilot pedagogical exercise in a two-credit assistive technology class taught occupational therapy students to address the ADL of sexual activity with clients by having students adapt a sexual toy …

Feasibility Of Mindfulness At Work: A Continuing Education Program For Occupational Therapy Practitioners Experiencing Burnout, Susan M. Persia, Amy P. Carroll

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Healthcare professionals, including occupational therapy practitioners, are experiencing epidemic levels of burnout. Professional organizations have prioritized research and programming to address burnout. This study evaluated the feasibility of an evidence-based virtual mindfulness continuing education program, Mindfulness at Work, and the mindfulness strategies participants learned and embedded into their workday. This program was developed and facilitated by an occupational therapist who is also a registered advanced yoga teacher. A total of 11 occupational therapy practitioners experiencing burnout met with the facilitator for once-weekly synchronous sessions over three weeks. OT practitioners were taught mindfulness strategies to use throughout their workday. Participants practiced …

Enhancing Simulation Fidelity In Occupational Therapy Education: Considerations For Standardized Patient Training And Implementation, John V. Rider, Linda Frasier, Jessica Parkin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The use of high-fidelity simulation and standardized patients (SPs) in occupational therapy (OT) education is expanding. However, the implementation of simulation varies across programs, leading to inconsistent outcomes and research limitations. Furthermore, details on SP use and training are lacking in OT literature. This article aims to provide OT educators with considerations for improving simulation fidelity by effectively using highly trained SPs. For example, recruiting SPs from diverse backgrounds is necessary to improve sociological fidelity, and proper training of SPs is required to ensure psychological fidelity. This article also emphasizes the need for standardized training for SPs and recommends following …