Occupational Therapy Commons^™

After-School Program For Teens With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Hayden E. Davis

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Introduction: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 36 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (CDC, 2023) with 31% of children with ASD having an Intellectual Disability (ID) (Autism Speaks, 2023), and 1 in every 700 babies are born with Down Syndrome (CDC, 2023b). According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (Shattuck et al, 2011) nearly 40% of individuals with ASD after exiting high school were not receiving any services, such as occupational therapy, case management, medical assessments, etc. The purpose of this capstone is to implement an after-school program for teens with Intellectual and Developmental …

Raising Awareness Of Visual Impairments And The Neonatal Assessment Visual European Grid (Naveg), Molli Wilkins

OTD Capstone Projects

Blind Early Services Tennessee (BEST) is a nonprofit organization providing early intervention services to children with visual impairments and their families. Through a partnership with BEST, this doctoral capstone project aimed to raise awareness of visual impairments and promote the use of the Neonatal Assessment Visual European Grid (NAVEG). The NAVEG is a validated, non-invasive screening tool designed to identify neurological risk for Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) in infants. The project aimed to educate healthcare providers and establish partnerships with Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), to ultimately increase early referrals to ophthalmology and early intervention services. A secondary focus of …

Promoting Safe Caregiving For Parents With Cognitive And Intellectual Challenges At Nurses For Newborns, Jaimie Thomison

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed through a partnership with Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee. Nurses for Newborns is a nonprofit organization that provides critical healthcare services to infants, new mothers, and expecting mothers who experience a wide range of medical, economic, environmental, and social risks. Registered nurses serve families using an evidence-informed, home visiting model. The aim of this project was to increase support for new mothers who have cognitive or intellectual challenges by providing resources and training staff on how to best serve these clients. The resources included customizable visual schedules, a safe sleep checklist, sensory modifications for …

The Center For Courageous Kids Universally Designed Pre-Recorded Dance Program, Amanda L. Parsley

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was created to serve the children, families, and volunteers at The Center of Courageous Kids in Scottsville, KY. The Center for Courageous Kids (CCK) is an accessible medical camp that provides children with serious illnesses the opportunity to attend camp at no cost. This allows the campers to have fun, create community and escape their everyday challenges. The camp hosts weekend retreats for families throughout the school year and offers population-specific week-long independent camps during the summer. Due to the structure of the camp, it relies heavily on volunteers to operate. With that in mind, this …

Advancing Scoliosis Care Through Pilates Training, Certification, And Outreach Initiatives, Jaryn Toms

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in collaboration with Spiral Spine Pilates (SSP), a Pilates studio specializing in scoliosis that serves clients from adolescents to older adults. SSP offers virtual and in-person private lessons, group classes, teacher training, and a scoliosis-focused retreat. These services are designed to educate individuals with scoliosis and movement practitioners on evidence-based, functional correction movements that support daily living. The primary objective of this project was to expand SSP’s educational reach through the development of new Pilates training, certifications, and outreach efforts. The primary outcome included the creation of an online certification program eligible for continuing …

Impact Of A Case-Based Learning Module: Integrating Authentic Treatment Videos, Electronic Documentation, And Hands-On Simulation, Emily Martin

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Developing student confidence and competence is essential for effective fieldwork preparation in occupational therapy (OT) education. Educators use diverse instructional methods to foster clinical readiness, including case-based learning (CBL), video cases, documentation practice, and simulation. CBL enhances critical thinking, clinical reasoning, self-awareness, and confidence. With advancements in technology, video CBL has become more accessible, using authentic patient videos to promote higher-level clinical reasoning, documentation, and communication skills, especially when paired with complementary learning activities. CBL video cases offer a logical opportunity to incorporate structured documentation training, an area in which health professions students often report feeling underprepared. Simulation …

An Exploration Of The Use Of Tier I Occupational Therapy Services In An Elementary School, Emilee Schumacher

Honors Theses

This project aimed to explore how and to what extent school-based occupational therapists implement Tier 1 interventions within an elementary school setting. The research involved conducting interviews with occupational therapists and observing their interactions with students to better understand the scope and nature of the services they provide. During the project, several Tier 1 services were identified, with a particular focus on addressing fine motor skills, social-emotional development, and gross motor skills. Several benefits of implementing tier 1 services in the school setting were identified. The challenges school-based occupational therapy practitioners face when implementing Tier 1 services in the elementary …

Modern Creativity Thriving Through The Roots Of Occupational Therapy, Kelly Allen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Peace, a client artist at Corvilla, provided the cover art for the Spring 2025 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). This untitled artwork is a mixed-media painting featuring a vase of daisies, hand-drawn by Peace, which was engraved into reclaimed wood with a CNC machine, painted, and hand-sanded to reveal the image through the contrast of paint and wood. This and many other artworks are produced daily and sold in the storefront of the organization. Corvilla’s art program, Studio Five9, echoes the earliest models of arts and crafts workshops found in rehabilitation facilities in the early 20th …

Empathy In Occupational Therapy: A Call For Reflection, Razan Hamed, Vikram Pagpatan

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Empathy is a building block in health care professions and it has been studied for decades in social and medical sciences given its significant role in health care outcomes and client satisfaction. In a climate where societies are congested with ideological conflicts, sociopolitical issues, racism, microaggressions, and bias, we must reflect on how we are preparing our students and future occupational therapists to be empathetic communicators and clinicians. We must also capture the evolution of empathy in new generations of occupational therapy students in the era of sociopolitical change, telehealth practices, and remote learning. Empathy decline is a documented trend …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Supporting Persons With Cognitive And Communication Impairment In Acute Hospital Settings, Molly Bathje, Carole Schwartz, Carly Ebert, Allison Harvey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

It is estimated that 10.9% of adults in the United States live with a cognitive disability and 10% experience communication disorders. When hospitalized, people who have co-occurring cognitive and communication impairments (CCI) experience more hospital-related complications, longer lengths of stay, and higher risks for readmission and mortality. Co-occurring CCI refers to people who are hospitalized for a primary condition who also have a pre-existing or hospital acquired CCI.

Occupational therapists make important contributions to interprofessional care teams for persons with disabilities in hospital settings. This article explores the complexity of individual- and system-level factors contributing to poorer health outcomes for …

Accessibility Status To Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services: Views From Health Care Providers At A Rehabilitation Hospital In Rwanda, Jean Claude Tuyishime, Lizahn Gracia Cloete, Jerome Peter Fredericks

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational therapy is a growing profession in Rwanda. Since the commencement of the occupational therapy training program at the University of Rwanda in 2014, accessibility to newly established occupational therapy services in Rwanda is unknown. This study aimed to explore health care providers’ views on access to pediatric occupational therapy services at a rehabilitation hospital in Rwanda.

Methods: An exploratory qualitative design with an interpretive descriptive approach was used. Purposive sampling was employed to select a sample of 10 health care providers working at an orthopedic and rehabilitation hospital in Rwanda. The semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, followed by verbatim …

Personal Narrative As Pedagogy: A Model For Socially Responsive Narrative-Based Education In Occupational Therapy, Johnna Belkiewitz, Sally Wasmuth

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The practice of occupational therapy relies on the collection and analysis of life narratives to provide responsive client-centered care. As developing holistic practitioners, occupational therapy students are taught to consider these shared stories within a larger context of historical and societal systems by acknowledging such factors as social determinants of health. Case studies are a frequently used tool to teach these skills; however, evidence supports that the identities of these educational stories’ authors can influence which perspectives are shared and, ultimately, impact developing occupational therapists’ perpetuation of or opposition to existing systems of oppression. Critical Race Theory and qualitative methodology …

Exploring The Relationship Between Preadmission Grade Point Average And Selected Occupational Therapy Program Outcomes, Robyn Wu, Jason Straub

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Grade point averages (GPAs) are often considered in admissions to occupational therapy programs, but the predictive value of GPAs has not been well-studied. The current study investigated if preadmission GPAs predicted whether students passed all occupational therapy program coursework and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam on the first attempt. We analyzed 419 records of students who had matriculated in a master’s or doctoral occupational therapy program between 2010 and 2019. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of the independent variables science GPA and overall GPA on non-passing grades and on NBCOT …

Occupational Therapy’S Role For Gender-Affirming Genital Surgeries: Metoidioplasty And Phalloplasty, Adam Steuer, Kaysen Walker

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This article explores the new surgical population of gender-affirming surgery, specifically genital surgeries of phalloplasty and metoidioplasty for transgender and gender-diverse people. There are established perioperative rehabilitation guidelines for nearly all other surgeries. A growing population of people is seeking gender-affirming health care that includes genital surgery. This article reviews the guidelines set forth by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care, Version 8, explores the occupational needs of this population, as well as provides suggestions for future versions of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, version 4, to provide more inclusive language for the unique needs …

Examining Content Validity Of Home For Life Design Home Assessment For Home Safety And Accessibility, Debra K. Lindstrom, Jade Nguyen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Older adults aging in place face daily challenges in functional mobility and increased fall risk. Home environments lack accessibility and safety features that promote safety, independence, and longevity. Quality home assessments that are reliable, valid, and efficient are necessary to help determine the safety and accessibility of the built environment for persons aging in place.

Method: A mixed-method study was conducted to determine if the Home for Life Design (HfLD) Home Assessment is a valid assessment for measuring safety and accessibility in the home. Eight experienced occupational therapists completed a Content Validity Index (CVI) and qualitative interview …

Evaluation Of An Occupational Therapy Intervention In Prisons To Prepare Incarcerated Individuals For Successful Community Reentry, Dalenna Bellum, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, R. Curtis Bay, Angela Zhu, Jeremiah Fine, Bruce Kotter, Abbey Glenn, Rebecca L. Wolf

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Literature suggests that to reduce recidivism and facilitate successful community reintegration, incarcerated individuals need life skills training before release. This study evaluated the effectiveness of such an occupational therapy (OT) program.

Methods: We provided and evaluated a 12-session pilot OT program with incarcerated men providing life skills education for community reentry. We used forced-choice and open-ended questions with pre/post Employee Self-Assessment Tool (ESAT), assessing interpersonal, self-management, analytical skills, and skills used in an organization, and Life Skills Program Daily Surveys (LSDS) assessing participants’ perceptions of program effectiveness.

Results: Ninety-three of the residents participated; 69 completed …

Patient-Generated Graphs To Measure Pain And Fatigue In Persons With Neuralgic Amyotrophy, Renske Mj Janssen, Jos Ijspeert, Jan T. Groothuis, Nens Van Alfen, Alexander Ch Geurts, Maud Jl Graff, Tanya L. Packer, Edith Hc Cup

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Patients with neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) often experience limitations in daily activities because of pain and fatigue. Visual analogue graphs with a 24-hour x-axis can be used to rate pain and fatigue severity during a typical day. This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the visual analogue graphs in patients with NA.

Method: Eight patients completed pain and fatigue graphs on three moments to examine inter-rater and test-retest reliability using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs). Concurrent validity (n = 47) was tested by determining correlations between mean pain graph scores and numerical rating scale for pain (NRS-pain) and …

Influence Of A Disrupted Practice Context On Occupational Therapists' Clinical Reasoning: A Qualitative Study, Perrine Vermeulen, Joseph-Omer Dyer, Marie-Christine Hallé, Marjorie Gingras, Anne Mingant, Manon Parisien, Annie Rochette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Clinical reasoning in occupational therapy involves integrating client factors, professional knowledge, and practice context to guide decision-making. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health care contexts, potentially affecting therapists' reasoning. This study explored the factors that influenced occupational therapists' clinical reasoning during this crisis.

Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured remote interviews with 11 occupational therapists in Quebec, Canada. The 60-min interviews, realized in 2021 and 2022, were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed inductively to identify reasoning-related themes. Deductive analysis involved coding text segments based on the 14 domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework. Transcripts were coded by …

A Survey-Based Quantification Of Imposter Phenomenon In Occupational Therapy, Dina Prisco, Siobhan Walsh

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Imposter phenomenon is a professional issue that negatively affects health professionals’ performance and well-being. This study examined imposter phenomenon’s prevalence in occupational therapy (OT). Researchers hypothesized that imposter phenomenon is prevalent in OT, more so in underrepresented groups. The rate of imposter phenomenon throughout OT was quantified and rates between demographic groups compared.

Method: This study used an exploratory, survey-based research design. Survey sections included informed consent, demographics, and the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS). The CIPS measured rates of imposterism. Analyses of variances and independent group t-tests were performed to identify significant differences between groups. Inclusion criteria …

D.A.D.S. Club: Pilot Study Outcomes Of A 5-Week Parenting Program For Fathers In Recovery From Substance Use Disorder, Oaklee Rogers, Kristin Riordan, Elaina Corbin, Shannon Forman, Kara Grace Zahariades, Andrea Clemens, Keely Mcdowell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Over 44 million adults have a substance use disorder, with approximately two million children living with a parent with this disorder. Approximately 40% to 60% of men who receive treatment have a child under 18 years of age. However, most parenting programs are developed and implemented for mothers with addiction, leaving fathers without this fundamental knowledge and skills.

Method: A pilot study using a longitudinal interventional study was conducted to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of an occupational therapy-developed program for fathers in recovery. Pre and post surveys, including the Parenting Sense of Competence, were collected from the …