Occupational Therapy Commons^™

From Awareness To Integration: Leading The Change For Occupational Therapy, Shirley A. Wells

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

In her lecture for the inaugural Dr. Lela A. Llorens Award of Excellence for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Shirley A. Wells acknowledges the growing importance of creating more inclusive and equitable environments across all aspects of health care, with occupational therapy being no exception. Inclusion and integration are fundamental values that should be woven into every part of the practice of occupational therapy. It is not enough to be aware of these concepts; occupational therapists must actively engage in Acts of Inclusion and Integration in their delivery of care, collaboration with clients and colleagues, and shaping of the future …

Benefits Of Intergenerational Programming In Occupational Therapy, Rachel Mitchell

Honors Theses

Occupational therapy helps clients work toward their meaningful occupational goals. Within this career, a person’s roles and habits are also addressed and taken into account when creating intervention plans. Many individuals live in a multi-generational home, living with others of different generations, or even interacting with them in their daily lives. Intergenerational programming is designed to bring people of different generations together. Whether the client lives with someone from a different generation, or sees them in their life, it is vital to have an understanding of each other. Areas that can be addressed include mental health, cultural identity, social isolation …

Bridging Autism Care: Dental And Occupational Therapy School Collaboration, Trina Hoang, Divya Desai

Oral Health

This study examines the interdisciplinary collaboration between dental and occupational therapy schools to support dental education on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An occupational therapy student created a recorded training module to educate international dental students on ASD. The participants completed a self-reported pre- and post-survey questionnaire examining their confidence levels in interacting with the ASD population and their awareness of other healthcare professions. The survey results showed improvements in confidence levels for identifying characteristics of ASD, communicating with clients with ASD, identifying sensory-based strategies, navigating uncooperative behaviors, and providing education for at-home care. There was an increase in the awareness …

Empowering Parenting & Bonding For Women With Young Children In A Transition Home, Payge Side, Mary Jan Greer Phd, Otr

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project was completed at Star of Hope, a transitional housing facility for women and children. A needs assessment revealed that mothers struggled with routine consistency, emotional regulation, and parent–child bonding due to environmental demands. In response, a customized parenting guidebook was developed using occupational therapy principles to provide structure, bonding activities, and self-reflection strategies. Mothers who engaged with the guidebook reported improvements in organization, confidence, and interactions with their children. Sustainability was supported by leaving the guidebook with the facility and training staff for continued use. The project highlights the impact of simple, structured OT interventions in …

Virtual Reality (Vr) To Enhance Occupational Therapy (Ot) Sessions For Children With Developmental Delays, Macy M. Smith, Zeida Gutierrez

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project developed an educational guidebook to help pediatric OTs integrate evidence-based VR strategies into practice. The guidebook was created to enhance engagement, for children with developmental delays, impacting sensory and motor skills. By exploring VR’s benefits and barriers, the project guides therapists in adapting tech-enhanced approaches to individual needs.

Education And Advocacy For People With Disabilities: Adaptive Clothing Awareness, Mansi Patel, Zeida Gutierrez

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this educational capstone project is to develop and implement educational sessions that provide resources, raise awareness, and support individuals with disabilities in accessing adaptive clothing. The aim was to bridge the knowledge and awareness gap and provide hands-on learning opportunities to promote dressing independence.

Inclusive Education And Autism Spectrum Disorder: Preparing University Students To Support Secondary Learners, Kristen M. Lucke, Cynthia Haynes

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 31 children in the United States, highlighting the need for future teachers and occupational therapists (OTs) to support students with ASD in inclusive educational settings. This mixed-methods capstone examined how an OT-informed professional learning session influenced university students’ knowledge, confidence, and readiness to support learners with ASD. Fifteen graduate students participated in a 75-minute instructional session addressing six ASD learning domains. Pre- and post-session measures included demographic information, the investigator-developed Knowledge and Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder (KPASD) assessment, Likert-scale ratings, and qualitative reflections. Participants demonstrated significant increases in total KPASD scores …

A Guidebook For Occupational Therapy Practitioners To Promote Adaptive Sports, Ivy M. Shimkus, Heather Rennerfeldt, Angela Blackwell

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Adaptive sports offer meaningful physical, social, and emotional benefits for adolescents with disabilities; however, many occupational therapy (OT) practitioners report limited training and resources to support these activities within practice. This capstone project aimed to address this gap by developing Sports for All, an educational guidebook designed to help OT practitioners promote engagement in adaptive sports among adolescents with disabilities. Guided by the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement and the PERMA well-being framework, the project emphasized the importance of person, environment, occupation, and positive psychological factors that support meaningful engagement in activities that promote overall well-being in …

The Application Of Smart Technology To Reduce Caregiver Burden, Miranda D. Martin, Cassandra Nelson

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Caregiver burden often increases during hospital-to-home transitions, limiting patient independence and placing strain on caregivers. Smart home and wearable technologies offer promising solutions; however, limited awareness, confidence, and training hinder their adoption. This capstone project developed an educational program to improve familiarity and practical use of smart technology among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. A needs assessment involving surveys, interviews, and clinical observations identified key barriers, including cost concerns, limited technological literacy, and low clinician confidence. An educational presentation and smart technology catalog were then implemented, with pre- and post-surveys used to measure changes in knowledge and confidence. Findings showed …

Toward A Nuanced Understanding Of Health And Human Services Students' Perceptions Of Autism, Leslie A. Meskin, Annemarie Connor, Sarah Fabrizi, Ann Tilman, Joanna Salapska-Gelleri, Noelle Balsamo

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Continually increasing rates of autism necessitate research-informed preparation of pre-service professionals who will work with this population. This mixed-method study examined health and human services students’ autism knowledge, bias, and interaction to inform training and education needs. Results extend the extant literature suggesting autism knowledge and interaction are necessary but insufficient in mitigating bias. Specifically, the nature of prior interaction, positive or negative, shapes both bias and proclivity for additional interaction. Lastly, self-reflection was identified as a latent and potentially impactful factor in shaping a more nuanced and less biased understanding of autism. Recommendations for education and research are discussed.

Redesigning Beauty: Promoting Universal Design For Upper Extremity Deficits, Sierra Louise Forkey, Cynthia Haynes

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this capstone project is to research and identify barriers individuals with upper extremity deficits face when participating in personal hygiene and grooming tasks and to use this information to advocate for individuals with upper extremity deficits by promoting inclusive design, educating consumers, and informing beauty manufacturers on the importance of implementing a universal design component to allow products to be more accessible.

Advocating For The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Addressing Ptsd In Veterans: A Video Series, Ralei Wine, Keisa Boykin

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this project is to further advocate for occupational therapy with veterans who experience PTSD through a video series. The intent is to educate veterans about the role of occupational therapy and encourage engagement in meaningful occupations to increase quality of life.

Occupational Therapy For Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder: An Educational Video Series, Habiba Ali, Steven M. Gerardi

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FNSD) is a complex condition that significantly disrupts occupational performance, identity, and participation. Despite the important role occupational therapy plays in addressing these challenges, many practitioners report uncertainty about how to apply occupation-based models- particularly the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO)- to guide treatment. This capstone project developed a seven-part educational video series to increase practitioner confidence and provide clear, evidence-informed strategies for assessment, intervention planning, and client-centered reasoning. Videos cover essential topics such as OT’s role in FNSD, psychosocial contributors, brain–body connections, functional retraining, and adapting interventions across settings. Hosted on YouTube for accessible dissemination, …

Enhancing Quality Of Life In Adults In Long-Term Care Through Work-Related Peer-Led Learning, Geraldine Esparza, Rebecca King Otd

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Younger adults residing in long-term care (LTC) institutions face numerous challenges related to identity, engagement, social interactions, mental health, and overall quality of life. This doctoral capstone project developed and implemented a peer-led, work-related intervention program designed to promote mental health, enhance occupational engagement, and improve the quality of life for younger adults residing in long-term care facilities. A 14-week program, comprising an occupational profile, needs assessment, role selection, and two trials of peer-led meaningful work activities, was completed by five participants, aged 29 to 63. The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) served as the foundation for a qualitative program …

A Program For The Occupational Needs Of Women With Urinary Incontinence In Independent/Assisted Living Facilities, Blair Riddell, Rebecca King

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this capstone project was to develop a multimedia educational program for women with UI living in an independent living facility(ILF)/assisted living facility (ALF) to foster engagement in health management behaviors for enhanced overall quality of life.

Culturally Tailored Guide For South Asian Dementia Caregivers, Lydia Skaria

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Capstone poster presentation from the The Minute Thesis Competition on Binghamton University Campus.

Equine-Based Occupational Therapy To Develop Social And Emotional Skills In Adolescents: An Educational Video Series, Annabeth Dorris, Steven Gerardi, Angela Blackwell

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Adolescents experience rapid physical, emotional, and social changes that often challenge self-regulation and social-emotional skill development. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are equipped to address these needs through a variety of ways, like equine-based occupational therapy (EBOT), yet resources on this setting remain limited. This capstone project developed an educational video series to guide OT practitioners in using equine-based occupations to promote social-emotional learning (SEL) skills in adolescents, targeting self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The seven videos were posted to YouTube for easy access. This resource serves as a tool OT practitioners can use for knowledge and …

Regain Confidence Postpartum: A Guide For Pelvic Floor Health​, Taylor Jackson, Mary Jan Greer, Donna Carver

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction can disrupt daily occupations such as toileting, hygiene, mobility, sexual health, sleep, and infant care. These challenges often reduce confidence and limit participation. Although pelvic floor issues are common, occupational therapy has not been widely recognized in this emerging area, leaving a gap in functional, client-centered support.

This capstone project developed Regain Confidence Postpartum: A Guide for Pelvic Floor Health, an occupation-focused resource designed to help postpartum individuals understand pelvic floor dysfunction and return to meaningful routines. A needs assessment was completed through clinical observation, discussions with providers at Purely Pelvic Floor, and a review …

Program For Teachers To Address The Needs Of Students With Adhd, Ashton R. Wagner, Wendy Tremaine, Dr. Mary Jan Greer, Phd, Otr

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The capstone project focused on supporting teacher participants from Eden Gardens Fundamental Magnet Elementary by providing practical strategies to address students who struggle with attention, regulation, and daily classroom routines. After completing a needs assessment, it was clear that many teachers faced similar challenges, including difficulty with transitions, staying on task, and responding when students became overwhelmed. To address this, created an OT-led teacher-training program that uses the PEOP model and focuses on simple, practical strategies teachers can implement right away. This included visual cues, sensory and movement supports, and minor changes to the classroom setup. As teachers began using …

Bridging Sensory Processing And Community Integration For Adults With Idd: A Bilingual Approach, Stephanie J. Newman, Cynthia Haynes

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The capstone project included creation, implementation, and evaluation of an educational program. The program provided education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their respective caregivers. The educational materials included development and implementation of educational workshops of sensory processing strategies in the community, work, and social settings for adults with IDD and bilingual home programs created for caregiver education. The program was evaluated through pre- and post-surveys administered to caregivers to demonstrate changes in knowledge of sensory processing strategies, as well as client assessments administered to assess changes in client understanding of sensory strategies.