Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Eku Os/Ot Pediatric Population Video Library, Heaven L. Taylor

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The purpose of this Doctor of Occupational Therapy capstone project was to develop the EKU Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Pediatric Population Video Library, an educational resource designed to enhance occupational therapy education through in class video instruction. Completed virtually in collaboration with site mentor Dr. Leslie Hardman, OTD, OTR/L, the project addressed the limited opportunities students often have to observe authentic pediatric occupational therapy sessions before entering clinical practice.

Research supports the use of video-based learning as an effective educational strategy for improving students clinical reasoning, and understanding by providing exposure to real-world occupational therapy practice. In response to …

Eku Os/Ot Adult Population Video Library, Abigail E. Coffey

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

As a student in the classroom setting, it can become very difficult to expand clinical reasoning and analytic skills using theoretical scenarios and clients. Real-world individuals/clients allow the student to see how certain principles, frameworks, or techniques are truly applicable and how to adapt to each scenario as is often in occupational therapy. The purpose of this project is to increase analysis skills in future occupational therapy practitioners by beginning to create a video library about activities of daily living and OT's role or lack of thereof in adults. Goals included expanding access to real-world learning opportunities to connect classroom …

Build Wellness: A Life Learning Series, Sydny B. Terry

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

My capstone project was completed with Build Inclusion, a non-profit based in Lexington, to develop the Build Wellness series. This series focused on program development and community-based practice for teens and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The primary ACOTE focus areas addressed through this project included program development, advocacy, education, and leadership.

The goal of Build Wellness: A Life Learning Series was to educate, empower, and encourage teens and young adults with IDD to confidently navigate adulthood and participate more independently in their communities. Specific goals included increasing knowledge of life skills topics, promoting confidence and self-efficacy, …

Developing A Developmentally Appropriate Fine Motor Curriculum For Pre-K Sunday School, Allison E. Casey

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Capstone project was completed in a Sunday school program serving preschool-aged children. The purpose of the project was to develop a year-long craft curriculum that promotes fine motor skill development through engaging, developmentally appropriate activities while providing volunteers with easy-to-use resources that integrate with weekly Bible lessons.

A needs assessment, classroom observations, discussions with church leaders and volunteers, and a review of current literature identified limited opportunities for fine motor skill practice within the Sunday school program. In response, a curriculum was developed consisting of four crafts per month, each including supply lists, step-by-step …

Bringing Awareness And Education To Rural Areas About The Role Occupational Therapy (Ot) Has In Infant Care, Makenzi Richwald

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone project focused on education and advocacy. The aim of my capstone project was to provide education to parents of eastern Kentucky (KY) about what Occupational Therapy (OT) can address with infants aged 0-18 months. I saw a gap in knowledge in the eastern KY community about what OT could do for infants and wanted to address this. Through my research, consultation with my mentors, and collaboration with the occupational therapists at my site (BPT) I discerned 14 areas of development and/or common reasons of needed referral for OT services by this age group. These educational materials aimed to …

Improving Feeding Outcomes: Occupation-Based Feeding Interventions From Nicu To Outpatient Pediatrics, Bailey Ciardelli

OTD Capstones

A researcher from an entry-level doctorate program examined gaps in feeding and sensory-based care for premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and outpatient pediatric feeding setting. The Improving Feeding Outcomes project aimed to improve feeding readiness, sensory regulation, and caregiver confidence through the development of occupation-based, family-centered interventions. This report evaluates the implementation of evidence-based resources, including caregiver education handouts, a NICU staff training presentation, a caregiver tummy time group, and a standardized infant feeding assessment tool integrated into outpatient pediatric therapy practice. These interventions were designed to address gaps in OT-led infant feeding and sensory care, …

Enhancing Leisure Opportunities For People With Disabilities In Rural Communities, Joslyn Mary Nordmark

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose. The purpose of this scholarly project was to promote access to leisure opportunities for people with disabilities in rural areas. The author addressed unmet needs among this population considering personal, occupational, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors. The goal was to develop a product that provided opportunities regardless of abilities to promote leisure exploration and participation, social engagement, and life skill development for people with disabilities

Methods. The author conducted a needs assessment through a literature review following the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), collaborations with site staff, and an on-site observation and environmental analysis. Data was examined to identify …

Increasing Leisure Exploration In Older Adults As They Age, Jackie Middendorf

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: As individuals age, it is common for them to experience deficits that impact how and where they age (Dieuleveult et al., 2017; Nakahara & Yokoi, 2024; Park et al., 2021; Rimland et al., 2016; Szanton et al., 2016). These deficits commonly impact functional mobility and their ability to complete self-cares, leading to them having to leave their homes or receive services (Dieuleveult et al., 2017; Feller & Baker, 2022; Lindquist et al., 2021; Mayo et al., 2021; Spang et al., 2024). Along with deficits with functional mobility and self-cares, older adults experience decreases in their social engagement and leisure …

Rebuilding Participation: Trauma-Informed Support For At-Risk Teens, Emily A. Funk

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Over half of our youth population have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) before they reach adulthood (Madigan et al., 2025). ACEs are major factors in increasing a child’s chances of making risky lifestyle choices that negatively affect their physical, emotional, and mental health (Atchison & Suarez, 2021; Felitti et al., 1998). Dysregulation, irrational behaviors, poor academic achievements, high levels of stress, and feeling a loss of purpose are some of the challenges that at-risk youth face (Atchison & Suarez, 2021).

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project is to develop a toolkit that contains indirect occupational …

Increasing Occupational Therapy’S Visibility In College Sports Medicine In Student-Athletes With Season-Ending Injuries, Mickaela H. Buzzy, Bonnie Fischer-Camara

Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral (PPOTD) Student Capstone Projects

Sport is an essential part of a student-athlete’s life. Many student-athletes gain a strong “athletic identity” in their sport. When a student-athlete is faced with an injury, specifically a season-ending injury, they are at risk of facing a significant sense of loss of identity and adverse psychological effects on their mental health. In the collegiate athletic setting, athletic trainers are often the first to notice signs of psychological distress of student-athletes; however, they frequently report limited education, training, and confidence in providing necessary psychosocial interventions. The purpose of this capstone project was to increase occupational therapy’s visibility in the collegiate …

Advancing Occupational Therapy In Sports: Bridging The Gap In Mental Performance, Gianna N. Scarantino

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Occupational Therapy’s (OT’s) role in sports mental performance remains an underrecognized and emerging area of practice, with limited awareness among OTs, a lack of available educational resources, and currently no established pathway into the field. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to increase awareness of OT’s role in sports mental performance through the development and evaluation of a comprehensive educational resource. The educational resource included a digital portfolio, recorded PowerPoint lecture, educational Instagram content, and a Linktree that organized all project materials into one accessible location. Four licensed OTs completed a Qualtrics pre-resource knowledge checklist, reviewed the educational …

Connecting Through Art: A Collaborative Art Program For The Deaf Community, Andrey Meg Bacal, Cristina Dumitrescu, Gary Dennis, Regina Brejda, Maija Vizvary, Jacie Schneider

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

This doctoral capstone project developed, implemented, and evaluated a Deaf-centered, ASL-accessible community art program at the Jessye Norman School of the Arts in Augusta, Georgia. The project addressed communication and environmental barriers that may limit participation in meaningful leisure and community-based occupations. Two ASL-interpreted art sessions and a community art show were completed, with evaluation using adapted PROMIS-based survey items, implementation observations, and quality improvement feedback. Because only two usable anonymous survey responses were available at each time point, findings were summarized descriptively and interpreted as feasibility and implementation information rather than evidence of effectiveness. The project supported the feasibility …

School-Based Sensory Room Education Program: An Occupational Therapy Approach, Makenzie Stiles, Bonnie Fischer-Camara, Tracie Ostrander, Elizabeth Young, Sophia Theodorou, Jacie Schneider

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Sensory rooms are commonly used within school settings to support students' self-regulation, behavior, and participation in educational activities. However, evidence suggests that special education teachers and teacher aides often receive limited training on the appropriate use of sensory rooms, including identifying students who may benefit and selecting activities based on individual sensory needs. The purpose of this mixed-methods, pre-experimental capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a school-based sensory room education program for special education teachers and teacher aides at Deposit Central School District. Guided by Ayres Sensory Integration® and Adult Learning Theory, the project included a needs assessment, …

Bridging Clinic To Home: The Development Of A Caregiver Education Program To Support Home Carryover Of Feeding Interventions, Rachel Adams

OTD Capstones

Abstract

Objective Caregivers of children with pediatric feeding disorders or difficulties face stressful emotions within the context of feeding. There is an identified gap in pediatric outpatient occupational therapy and the educational resources they provide to caregivers related to feeding. To address this, the capstone project aimed to develop and integrate an evidence-based caregiver education program into the capstone site’s feeding therapy model to make a more well-rounded and all-inclusive feeding therapy program. Methods Two caregiver surveys were sent out along with a staff survey to identify the needs of the site and the caregivers of the clients and to …

Empowering Women Through Surf Therapy: A Trauma-Informed Facilitation Toolkit, Ashlie Steppe

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Women who have experienced trauma often face challenges with emotional regulation, sense of safety and daily functioning. Additionally, one in three women experience trauma throughout their lifetime and this can lead to difficulty with connection, body awareness, and engagement in meaningful activities. A local non-profit surf therapy organization was established to provide women with a supportive community and meaningful, nature-based activity to promote healing and connection. The purpose of this quality improvement capstone experience was to address and develop a sustainable trauma-informed wellness toolkit to support facilitators in delivering structured wellness activities within the program. The toolkit specifically addressed key …

A World Of Connection: Asd, Morgan M. Gayton

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a diagnosis that affects many school-aged children (CDC, 2025). Autistic children can have more difficulties engaging with both their peers and their families, which can lead to a lack of social participation. A World of Connection: ASD was a doctoral capstone project centering on social participation for autistic youth. The project blended the capstone student’s expanded knowledge in performing arts with their education in Occupational Therapy to create a 4-part capstone experience. A scoping review targeting the question “what are the most effective performing arts methods to enhance the social participation of autistic children” yielded 9 …

Little Minds, Big Emotions, Marissa Fattorusso

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Little Minds, Big Emotions is a doctoral capstone project designed to support the development of emotional regulation skills in preschool-aged children through the areas of program development, education, and clinical skills development. Emotional regulation is an essential component of children' s participation, social interactions, and overall well-being, yet many young children experience difficulties identifying emotions and using effective calming strategies. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and implement a developmentally appropriate, play-based emotional regulation curriculum for preschool children while also providing educational resources for caregivers. This program was implemented three days a week for 14 weeks at …

The Hidden Process Of Student Placements: Perspectives From Slp, Ot, And Pt Coordinators, Almara Jane Sidney Hutchinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This comparative multi-case study examined the unseen processes behind clinical placement planning in allied health education. Clinical placements are essential to preparing students in speech-language pathology (SLP), occupational therapy (OT), and physical therapy (PT); however, little research has explored how Directors and Coordinators of Clinical Education (DCE/CCEs) navigate the complex decision-making involved in planning these experiences. Guided by Greco and Myers’ (2024) framework conceptualizing placement planning as an interaction between process and experience, this study explored how coordinators described their planning processes and the role of student-centeredness within them.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 DCEs/CCEs representing SLP, OT, and …

Beyond Survival: Empowering Mental Health Recovery After Acquired Brain Injury, Paige Mackenzie Kozak

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) frequently experience psychosocial and cognitive challenges, including depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and identity changes which can significantly impact rehabilitation outcomes and participation in daily occupations. Despite this, outpatient rehabilitation clinicians may feel underprepared to recognize and address these concerns within their scope of practice. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an educational onboarding program to support interdisciplinary rehabilitation staff in identifying and responding to psychosocial needs of individuals with ABI, while promoting trauma-informed and patient-centered care.

Methodology: A literature review was conducted to examine common psychosocial and cognitive outcomes following …

Translating Pediatric Home Programming Into Daily Life, Anna Elizabeth Jones

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Caregivers play a critical role in a child’s overall development and are essential partners in the therapy process (Jaffe et al., 2020). Because of this, caregivers are in a unique position to support and reinforce therapeutic goals with daily routine and activities. When caregivers are equipped with appropriate strategies and guidance, they can help facilitate skill development outside of the formal therapy sessions, increasing opportunities for practice and generalization of skills (Lage et al., 2024). Current evidenced-based practice supports the use of caregiver coaching to increase caregiver autonomy and promote their ability to support their child’s developmental needs (Gmmash …