Mindfulness in the Occupational Therapy Classroom: Infusing Grit, Gratitude Practice, and a Growth Mindset into OT Education

With the rigor of occupational therapy programs increasing to meet the demands of the diverse healthcare system, students are reporting stress and anxiety at an increasing rate. This mixed methods study assessed the outcomes of occupational therapy students who participated in a comprehensive mindfulness program that included interventions on grit, gratitude practice, and growth mindset. Twenty-four occupational therapy students participated in the 10-week mindful-based intervention program prior to a Level I fieldwork experience. Data was collected pre- and post-intervention using the 12-item Grit Scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), journal entries, and a satisfaction survey at the completion of the program. Student outcomes included statistically significant changes in grit and gratitude. While growth mindset was not statistically significant, there were meaningful changes in reported self-regulation, both in the classroom and clinical experience. Infusing mindful-based curriculum into occupational therapy education can have a positive effect on both the occupational therapy student and subsequent clinical experiences, ultimately carrying over to therapeutic client interactions. Educators within academia and in clinical settings can utilize similar interventions to ensure students are holistically prepared to meet the demands of the current healthcare system