Bridges to ASD: Building Resilience, Self-Efficacy and Capacity in Belizean Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The Bridges to ASD program was a capstone project that contributed to the nonprofit clinic in a developing country by providing resources and training sessions that potentially helped to unify the caregivers, the teachers and the therapists in their common goals to better support their children in the community with ASD.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1019/thumbnail.jp

Balanced Bliss: Promoting Leisure Participation in a Daytime Homeless Shelter

Opportunities to engage in leisure activities are limited for individuals experiencing homelessness who attend daytime homeless shelters (Palimaru et al., 2023). The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and implement a leisure participation program for homeless individuals attending daytime shelters, addressing the gap in leisure exploration and participation. The program was structured around an 8-week timeframe, with weekly thematic focuses on physical, social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, financial, and occupational wellness. The program consisted of one-hour sessions, four times a week, incorporating 32 structured activities designed to encourage engagement in diverse leisure pursuits. To support ongoing wellness, weekly newsletters were provided to participants. The project was executed in five phases over a 15-week period: Strengths and Needs Assessment, Program Development, Program Implementation, Program Evaluation, and Program Dissemination. By providing a structured leisure program within the daytime shelter setting, the project aimed to enhance the quality of life and well-being of homeless individuals, while exploring the broader potential impact of such programs on homeless support services.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1003/thumbnail.jp

An Independent Living Skills Training Guide for Direct Support Professionals Working With People With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) serve an important role in assisting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in many aspects of their lives through the provision of care and support. Despite lacking in knowledge and training to support the potentially complex and varied presentation of people with IDD, DSPs are in a position to help their clients address and improve on their independent living skills that are important for autonomy and overall well-being. The capstone project developed the Independent Living Skills Teaching Guide (ILSTG), as a tool for DSPs, containing activity plans related to independent living skills, activity modifications based on cognitive functions, motor functions, as well as language and communication functions. The ILSTG was also designed to be expandable by DSPs to ensure longevity in relevancy. The capstone project sheds light on how the field of occupational therapy can support DSPs’ endeavors of bettering the lives of their clients with IDD.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1051/thumbnail.jp

Live Music Events: The Lived Experiences for People with Disabilities

Live music events present barriers to people with disabilities, limiting participation and full engagement at these events. This capstone project aimed to understand the lived experience of people with disabilities at live music events. A mixed methods research study and optional interview to gather data were used. Through thematic analysis, three themes were presented: physical barriers, more than just music, and the lack of education on invisible disabilities. These outcomes from the research express additional accommodations centered around physical barriers, an understanding that there are more occupations at these events besides just the music, and a need for more inclusion amongst the community of people with disabilities.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1050/thumbnail.jp

Fostering Autonomy and Self Efficacy: An Informal Caregiver\u27s Guide to Encouraging Participation in Self-Care

Helping Hands and Active Lives is a practical guidebook designed to empower informal caregivers to support senior independence and well-being. It offers evidence-based strategies to enhance communication, mobility, and daily function while emphasizing the impact of caregiving approaches on occupational success.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1023/thumbnail.jp

Exploring the Benefits of Nature-Based Occupations and Transition into Retirement

This poster outlines a doctoral capstone project that explores how nature-based occupations can support older adults transitioning into retirement, addressing their unique needs and improving their overall quality of life. The transition into retirement can be a challenging time, often accompanied by anxiety, loss of routine, and social isolation. Nature-based occupations offer significant benefits, such as improved mood, reduced stress, a sense of purpose, and increased social engagement. This poster emphasizes the importance of understanding older adults\u27 attitudes and behaviors toward nature-based occupations to maximize their benefits. It also examines how occupational therapists can integrate nature-based interventions to help older adults transition from work to retirement. By addressing the gap in research on nature-based occupations for older adults during this pivotal transition, the findings contribute valuable insights that can enhance occupational therapy practices and provide effective, evidence-based support for this population.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1018/thumbnail.jp

Adolescents Undergoing Back Surgery & Caregiver Support Needed Before & After Surgery

Adolescents with spinal conditions such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or fractures may require surgical intervention, with spinal fusion being the most common procedure. While these surgeries can significantly improve outcomes, parents and caregivers often feel unprepared for the responsibilities and emotional demands that follow. This lack of knowledge and support can lead to caregiver stress, feelings of isolation, and unmet self-care needs, highlighting the urgent need for better education and resources.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1034/thumbnail.jp

Opening the Outdoors: Experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Adults in Outdoor Occupations to Support Mental Health

This mixed methods study explores the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) adults in exploring and engaging in outdoor occupations to support mental health. Through 15 survey responses and 2 semi-structured interviews, data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and reflective thematic analysis. The findings revealed three overarching themes: Barriers to Outdoor Occupations, Facilitators to Encourage Participation, and Personally Experienced Benefits. Participants explained how outdoor activities contribute to improved mental health, emotional regulation, and a sense of holistic well-being. By addressing the gap in research on nature-based occupations within BIPOC communities, this study highlights the need for occupational therapists to develop culturally responsive, community-based interventions that promote accessibility, inclusion, and mental health support through nature. The study also emphasizes the need for advocacy, representation, and program development to expand access to meaningful outdoor engagement for underserved populations.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1062/thumbnail.jp

Researching Effective Interventions within Occupational Therapy for Individuals with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

This research project assessed client and clinician perceptions on the effectiveness of treatment interventions for CRPS. The purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of interventions for CRPS as perceived by clinicians and clients to evaluate the impact on client function and overall satisfaction coping with CRPS.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1039/thumbnail.jp

Developing Independent Living Skills in People With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities: A Guide for Direct Support Professionals

Over one percent of the world has intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Many of these people lack the living skills needed to live independently. Direct support professionals (DSPs) are people who provide daily assistance, care, and support to improve the wellbeing and quality of life among people with IDD. DSPs often have minimal training to perform their role, especially in support of the development of independent living skills. Independent living skills are adaptive behavioral competencies related to self-sufficiency, with focus on conceptual skills such as language abilities, social skills including interpersonal and social problem-solving, and practical skills that relate to self-care, activities of daily living, health, and safety. The availability of resources to guide DSPs in the teaching of independent living skills is limited. Problem: DSPs lack knowledge and training on how to deliver independent living skills training in people with IDD. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create an evidence-based teaching guide for DSPs to develop independent living skills in people with IDD. The Independent Living Skills Teaching Guide was developed as a resource for DSPs. it contains activity plans to develop independent living skills, communication skills, and activity modifications based on cognitive and motor abilities. The guide was also designed to be expandable by DSPs to ensure longevity in relevancy. The capstone project sheds light on how the field of occupational therapy can support DSPs’ endeavors to better the lives of their clients with IDD