Occupational Therapy\u27s Role in Maternal Mental Health within Transition from NICU to Home

The purpose of this capstone project is to identify OT’s role in maternal mental health following the transition home from a NICU setting. This capstone project focused on mothers’ roles, routines, and environment during the transition from the NICU to home. Mothers may feel unprepared for the discharge home when their babies are ready to leave the NICU (Boykova, 2016). Occupational therapists address occupational performance through skilled interventions for women during the perinatal period; however, there is a lack of evidence guiding occupational therapy for providing services for maternal wellness (Slootjes, 2016). This capstone project will help share information, ideas, and resources for occupational therapists providing services in maternal wellness.https://soar.usa.edu/casmfall2019/1006/thumbnail.jp

An Exploration of the Lifestyle of Rodeo Athletes

Rodeo is considered one of the most rapid-growing sports across many nations and consists of highly talented, tough athletes (Haney & Pearson, 1999). There is a gap in the research that examines the occupation of rodeo through an occupational therapy and occupational science perspective. Occupational science, the study of human occupation, focuses on how the form, function, and meaning of daily activities influence health and well-being (Larson & Zemke, 2003). Form, function, and meaning guided the mixed-method research study utilizing survey, interview, narrative prompt, and photo elicitation. Three themes were extracted from the data and embodied the personal and occupational experiences of rodeo. The research findings enhance the knowledge of the occupation of rodeo and inform the occupational therapy profession. The research findings support the importance of cultural responsiveness, balancing positive and negative effects that occupations have on health, and recognizing the importance of community and occupation. Future research would benefit from continuing to explore the complexity of rodeo and the long-lasting health effects that may arise from participation in the sport.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2022/1003/thumbnail.jp

Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy in the Development of Behavior Management Programs for Elementary School Teachers and Staff

Background: Behavior, how one acts, influences occupation, the things one needs and wants to do. When a student struggles with the ability to regulate their behavior and actions, they are more likely to exhibit behaviors in the classroom that negatively impact their overall ability to participate in academic learning in the classroom (Walls & Rauner, 2015). Examples of these student behaviors include: Eloping from the classroom, yelling, tantrums, task refusal, physical and verbal aggression, standing on furniture, throwing materials, etc. Dealing with difficult student behaviors is difficult. This can impact a teacher’s ability to perform their responsibilities required of their work-related occupations. The literature has reported a decrease in elementary teacher and staff’s overall job-satisfaction, sense of confidence/competence, and overall motivation in relation to working with students who these inappropriate or unsafe behaviors on a regular basis. This had led to a recent increase in school staff feelings of “burnout” and higher rates of leaving the career field altogether (Brouwers and Tomic, 2000). Occupational therapists work with students in elementary schools but there is little evidence in the literature to support the role of occupational therapy (OT) in behavior management program development schools (AOTA, 2014). It should be noted that any issues observed in this project were likely exaggerated by the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose: The purpose of this project is to establish OT role in staff program development and increase staff and student occupational performance/participation in school-based occupations with the implementation of a behavior management skills program for staff use at Park Village Elementary School. Methods: The needs assessment that informed the development of this pilot program was created with a Mixed-Method Approach. The needs assessment included informal classroom observations, an active classroom checklist, and an online-survey adapted from a survey used by Martin et al. (1999). Data was analyzed using coding for descriptive data and numerical data was collected and interpreted using the online platform Survey Monkey. The goal was to evaluate current behavior management methods used in the classroom as well as staff perception of their own abilities and confidence in behavior management with students in the classroom who require behavioral intervention. 11 staff members completed the online survey, 10 classrooms were observed informally, and 5 classrooms were observed using the active classroom checklist. Preliminary Results: It was determined that there was a need for a pilot program to be developed to address the finding of the survey, observations, and interviews. It was determined that there was a need for further information and education to be provided to staff in relation to effective behavior strategies. Results of the pilot program show that it was effective in providing staff with information and resources on behavior management that met the needs of the staff at this school. Discussion: Occupational therapists have a role in program development in beyond the typical role in the school setting. This study showed the importance of program development in for staff to increase occupational participation for both staff and students. A future program can be developed based on the success of the pilot program to deliver to the entire school staff population.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/1015/thumbnail.jp

Perspectives of Occupational Therapists on Telehealth

The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of the provider’s perspectives about the strengths and barriers of OT services provided via telehealth. Based on the evidence that will be collected through surveys and interviews, it can help determine specific factors on whether or not therapist choose to provide services through telehealth. Centered around those perspectives of telehealth, the results can help explore more in depth on the issues and concerns therapists have when it comes to telehealth as a service delivery model.https://soar.usa.edu/casmfall2019/1010/thumbnail.jp

Improving Awareness and Access to Adaptive Sports

Adaptive sports can be defined as a recreational activity that allows individuals to improve their overall quality of life through an occupation they enjoy (Aytur et al., 2018). Barriers to participation in adaptive sports programs include a lack of resources, limited programs identified, and difficulty in finding the best program to fit the athletes’ needs (Lape et al., 2018). Adaptive sports have been seen as a holistic rehabilitative care plan that helps to improve self-esteem, build self-identity, increase confidence, and provide higher life satisfaction (DiVincenzo, 2013). Occupational therapists can play a role in helping enhance participation in adaptive sports by looking at different programs in a holistic manner to understand the program, the athletes, the volunteers and staff, and the environment (AOTA, 2019). Occupational therapy can be a significant contributor to adaptive sports through activity analysis, adaptive equipment, and helping to better understand the impact of client factors, psychosocial factors, environment, and performance (AOTA, 2019). The purpose of this capstone project is to evaluate the needs regarding access and awareness to adaptive sports and concerns of participants, volunteers, and others conducting adaptive sports programs to provide a better understanding of what is needed and how to bridge the gap to help sustain participation. This capstone project used observation, surveys, and semi-structured interviews in order to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of each participant. The findings from this capstone project indicated that participants experienced a lack of awareness of programs available and difficulties with transportation, but found a great opportunity through sports for competition and social engagement. These findings support other studies and literature reviews that report benefits to participation in adaptive sports such as building self-identity, increasing confidence, and providing higher life satisfaction, and barriers to participation such as lack of resources, limited programs identified, and difficulty in finding the best program to fit the athletes’ needs (Aytur et al., 2018; DiVincenzo, 2013; Gossett & Tingstrom, 2017). With the data found through this capstone project and with the support of other literature, there is a need for an increase in awareness, advocacy, and a role that occupational therapy can provide through activity analysis and role identification to help support and increase participation in adaptive sports.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonespring2020/1016/thumbnail.jp

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pain Management using Virtual Reality

Pain is a complex phenomenon that affects millions every day and is frequently associated with activity restriction and decreases in psycho-social health. Studies have shown that opioids alone cannot eliminate all the difficulties that are associated with chronic pain, demonstrating a dire need to consider safer and more effective alternatives. Furthermore, given the impact of chronic pain on an individual’s ability to perform valued activities, and therefore overall well-being and quality of life, occupational therapy must be considered an essential member of any pain management team. Thus, there may be potential benefits to reviewing the use of virtual reality (VR) in conjunction with occupational therapy services for individuals with chronic pain. The purpose of this capstone project is to determine the appropriate and potential role of VR for pain management within the scope of occupational therapy practice.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonespring2020/1003/thumbnail.jp

The Role of Occupational Therapy for Homeless Women and Women At-Risk of Homelessness

This capstone project is focused on assessing the occupational needs and barriers of women at-risk of homelessness at a resource center. A needs assessment, facility observations, and research study were conducted to identify population needs and create a client-centered program for offering occupational enrichment to these women at CMOH.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2020/1002/thumbnail.jp

Occupational Therapist’s Role in Addressing Transition Support through Life Skills

The transition period from high school to postsecondary education has been shown to be a difficult time for youth, especially those with disabilities. The use of occupational therapists in transition services can positively affect a student\u27s ability to attend postsecondary education. Guidance and support are necessary to teach these individuals life skills needed for future success in the transition to postsecondary education. This capstone project aims to assess the needs of students at the Winston school to identify occupational limitations in the area of life skills. Through identification of problem areas, a detailed program was created and implemented to meet the needs of this population during this difficult transition.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2020/1000/thumbnail.jp

Exploring Accessibility and Social Inclusion for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Residential Camps through the Occupational Therapy Lens

Children engage in various play, leisure, and social participation activities to enhance the development of life skills, independence, and social skills. Residential camps provide an opportunity to engage in leisure activities while learning to become independent and self-confident while socializing and making new friends. However, having a disability such as deafness and hearing loss may impact the camper’s experience. This digital guidebook offers videos, pop-in information, and links to valuable resources for working with and understanding the Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture. The guidebook incorporates inclusionary strategies to help the campers and the staff develop inclusive mindsets and social skills that can be applied within their daily lives. Throughout the guidebook are tips and tricks of inclusion from the occupational therapy lens, in addition to relevant data from the authors research study. The guidebook is then broken down into seven chapters that range from learning the basics about hearing impairment, the camp environment, inclusion strategies, and American Sign Language educationhttps://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2020/1005/thumbnail.jp

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Assisting with Community Reintegration for Survivors of Human Trafficking

Victims of human trafficking were exposed to traumatic experiences that affected their physical, psychological, cognitive, and social health. As the survivors entered the healing stage and progressed in their journey to community reintegration, the complex traumatic experiences may affect their independence with occupational tasks. This capstone explored the areas where occupational therapy can assist with community reintegration for survivors of human trafficking. Interviews were conducted through casual conversation using the modified-COPM as guidance, and the QOL was used to gather baseline data. Survivors identified priorities of their everyday living and the barriers to them achieving their goals: education, vocation, transportation, health, leisure, and healthy relationships. The essential staff working with clients identified the same concerns as clients and concerns for the staff’s emotional and cognitive health due to emotional exposure to client trauma. A program was developed to guide survivors in vocation, education, physical health, and emotional health to promote independence and autonomy. A separate program was developed to guide staff into emotionally supportive conversations and encourage reflective program meetings to reduce the risk of compassion fatigue.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2020/1010/thumbnail.jp