capstone project ideas for occupational therapy students

OTD Capstone Ideas, Examples, and Mentors

• Post date --> March 27, 2024

As part of an occupational therapy doctoral program in the United States, doctoral students spend around 500 hours working on a capstone experience and project.

The purpose of a capstone project is to help students take a deep dive into an area of OT, synthesize the information, and then disseminate their findings. These projects have the potential to help OT professionals all over the world improve our clinical practices.

But, until now, it’s been difficult to find and read these projects!

In this post, we’ll share:

• How to find projects in our OT Capstone Catalog

How to submit to the OT Capstone Catalog

• Our directory of capstone mentors!
• Our course on being a capstone mentor

Find Project Examples in the OT Capstone Catalog

With our new OT Capstone Catalog , OT professionals from around the globe can easily see examples of OTD capstone projects from graduating OTD students. Likewise, other doctoral students can see examples of past projects, to help them generate ideas.

And, our favorite part is that students and working professionals, who are members of the OT Potential Club , can interact about the project!

The catalog is free for the public to see.

How the catalog can help you generate ideas for your OTD capstone.

Ideally, in occupational therapy we are always building on one another’s work. So, with the capstone catalog, you can now search nationally to see what similar projects have been done in your focus and practice area. Take the time to read the advice submitted.

And, if you are pursing a project similar to what you find posted, we encourage you to leave comment for the student to see!

Our capstone catalog has a robust search feature. But to get you started you can browse by the focus areas of different projects :

• Clinical practice skills
• Administration
• Program and development
• Policy development
• Theory development

For 2024, it is free for capstone students to submit their project to the OT Capstone Catalog!

If your project is accepted, we will share it with our mailing list of over 20k OT professionals—now, that’s dissemination!

Here’s all you have to do:

1. Email us

Email us at [email protected] with the subject, “Capstone Submission” and tell us one sentence about your project.  We will set you up with a free 1 year membership to the OT Potential Club, at the email address you email us from!

2. Share an overview of your project

After you've gained access to the Club, submit the following information:

• One sentence description of your project
• Student name
• Name of Mentor
• Capstone setting
• Virtual / In-person / Hybrid
• Capstone Objectives
• Method/Design/Approach
• Results/Outcomes
• Conclusions
• 2-3 ideas for future directions to build on on this project
• Reflections on how you see this project influencing your OT career trajectory.
• How many individuals do you estimate increased their awareness of OT due to your project?

These are meant to be short and sweet, so only 1-2 sentences for each bullet point is encouraged. Your project will  live here!

Are you looking for a capstone mentor?

The other perk of being part of the OT Potential Club is our incredible network of OTs from around the globe . On our OT directory, some members have indicated interest in serving as a mentor in particular subject areas. You can see these professionals below.

Curious what the capstone experience is actually like?

It is hard to capture all of the learning and potential of the capstone experience, in a post like this.

So, I was able to record a podcast-based course with our own capstone student, Alana Woolley , and her capstone coordinator, Daniel Rortvedt . In the course, we discuss some research on the benefits of the capstone experience, and then walk through our advice for creating a great capstone experience.

This episode is really geared towards mentors, but anyone involved in the process, may benefit from listening!

At OT Potential, our mission is to help the majority of occupational therapy practitioners from around the globe make a habit of regularly exploring new OT-related research. So, participating in the dissemination of capstone projects has been a natural fit for us. We hope you find it to be a win-win for both students and working practitioners.

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OTD Capstone Projects

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The University of Indianapolis, School of Occupational Therapy is proud to announce the completion of the Doctoral Capstone & Experiential (DCE) for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Class of 2023. This cohort worked diligently during their DCE to not only learn advanced skills but also to give back to their community sites in time and talent through their large variety of projects.

Class of 2024

Class of 2023, class of 2022, class of 2021, class of 2020, carissa campbell, marissa cavanaugh, zoe chasnick, abigail crouse, alexandria dattilo, lauren bergsma, alexandria gilley, kaitlin goedde, rachel graves, jonathan guan, karlie hamilton, mckayla hendricks, morgan jones, kira krause, eric meyers, allison moll, cara murphy, caitlyn naghdi, adrienne numbers, samantha rich, erin rusconi, korrin schalhamer, brynn shallenberger, abigail shamdin, aryn snyder, caroline stone, julia swindeman, samantha trench, taylor brown, krystal scott, payton berger, serena good (glenn), olivia witteborg, caitlin bachmann, breanna beckmann, shelby cash, christina christenson, kayla elstien, shelby hudson, darby joerling, hayley martin, sidney metzger, kayla nowlin, sara panczyk, alexandra reckers, kelsey smith, olivia voss, allison cattin, carmen chastain, irelend greenwell, hannah harless, sierra kern, angela kilbride, ashton williams, megan yingling, livia crispen, courtney cummings, becca endicott, sarah frisbie, jonathan haller, tyler kramer-stephens, erika murphy, zoelaine viewegh, faith wilkins, madison woo, abbie alter, claire petersen, kayleigh smith, sydney abbott, morgan herrmann, emily hughes, katherine kelley, analicia morales, megan newton, taryn springgate, hannah tyger, anne mari west, bridget downs, tara martin, brenna menke, lauren ober, hannah droste, jillian heidenreich, megan johnson, hailey beneker, gabrielle castor, rachel cole, abigail gettinger, tristan flynn grubbs, jacqueline gunther, morgan haney, kylie harper, taylor henson, anna morrisey, haylee ottinger, alexandra retter, travis rippe, ethan roberts, jordan romero, megan rooks, anna slusser, shanele tyler, michael wroblewski, elizabeth harris, dresden glover, michele govern, mackenzie king, courtney romatz, elizabeth siegfried, sara skarshaug, allie gartner, colin hauber, lauren kelley, stephanie mcelhaney, kenzie salzbrenner, shanele tyler, mary grace willis, jordan bentley, lindsey bernzott, kylie collins, lydia delamarter, alyssa earls, sierra lowe, sammy mcleish, maddie parrish, daria seccurro, lyndsey shepherd, fatima tapia, kassidy beckstein, rachel jones, skyla jones, morgan cole, hannah hackman, molly johnson, claire allen, jenny ashton, emma baldwin, angella chen, vesneek (vaz) dhani, jasmine everfield, ariel galliher, cecilia heckert, madeline hunter, thomas jacocks, paige mcintire, laura mckay, jeffrey moore, kelly randall, corrine sisson, kendra voth, allie watkins, kelsey yerem, hanah batchelor, gracyn conner, isabel mazanowski, catherine salo, rachel salyers, rachael struewing, allison trimpe, kayla mitchell.

Establishing an Occupation-Based Dance Program in the Inpatient Psychiatric Setting Doctoral Capstone Partner: Neurodiagnostic Institute (NDI) Faculty Mentor: Dr. Taylor McGann

Shannon Bouchard

Elizabeth brock, kristen dyson, kirby jones, tara nastoff, moriam olorunoje, cassidy stinson, erika wilson, colleen yeldell, kathryn haskell, melody white, brooke badskey, contessa brown, mindy delph, hanna elliott, elizabeth erb, tori faulkner, pamela hess, cheyenne kern, kathryn kittaka, hannah klemp, kelsey lemond, lindsey newhart, jennifer schepers, lesly solares, davis christy, brittany finigan, gabrielle ingram, madison kovacs, tamzyn mather, kayla olson, hannah patton, nicole scholl, shelby sexton, samantha wallenberg, mika coffey-lumpkin, raquel sauder, sarah burke, kandyse kaizer, taylor welch, sydney denhart, sydney elliott, ellen hodson, kaitlynne james, megan julian, megan kraft, julie larson, stefani manchick, olivia milliner, ellen shepherd, savanah wagner, kailan henderson.

If you have any interest in hosting a UIndy Doctoral Capstone Experience student or have questions about the Doctoral Capstone Experience, please contact Dr. Christine Kroll, Doctoral Capstone Coordinator, at [email protected] .

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS The University of Indianapolis ("UIndy") admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at UIndy. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Additional non-discrimination policy information is available at uindy.edu/admissions/non-discrimination-policy .

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OTD Capstone Projects

Capstone projects from 2024 2024.

The Impact of Parent and Caregiver Perceptions of Inclusivity Regarding the Concepts of Inclusive Playgrounds​ , Cydnee M. Bacci

Capstone Curriculum for University Students with Intellectual Disabilities at Lipscomb University’s IDEAL Program , Aubrey J. Barcelo

Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Navigating a New Normal in Middle Tennessee , Karli M. Beaumont

Implementing Occupational Therapy Principles into the Linden Waldorf Neurodivergent Student Population , Brooke M. Bledsoe

Respite Care and Relief for Brain Injury Survivors and Their Caregivers , Sydney Bradley

Living with Chemo Brain – Tips and Tricks to Improve the Quality of Life for Individual’s Diagnosed with Cancer , Jamie Brown

The Implementation of Animal Assisted Therapy in Adult Neurological Rehabilitation , Rachel Camilleri

Implementing Caregiver Resources Handout and Enhancing Parent and Caregiver Appreciation Week , Sidney Coolidge

Occupation-Based Fine Motor Activities for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease at Rock Steady Boxing , Caylin N. Dean

Flip for Function Program Development to Increase Effectiveness of Current and Future Program Offerings , Brianne Dombrowski

Development of Teacher Training Program, Manual, & Curriculum Guide for Inclusive Dance Studio, from an Occupational Therapy Perspective , Susanna C. Dunn

Nashville Dolphins Water Safety Awareness Project , Evan D. Eidson

Supporting Adolescent Parents Involved in YoungLives , Rachel Fister

Fashion For All: An Exploration into Adaptive Fashion , Morgan F. Harrison

Marshall Co. Parks Department: Miracle League of Western KY , Ragan Harris Winters

Bridging the Gap Between the Occupational Therapy Department and the Education Department at an Inclusive Preschool , Brenna C. Hunt

Expanding the Availability of Adapted Athletics for Youth with Physical Disabilities in Middle Tennessee , Alexandra Hurd

Providing Sensory Integration Education and Transition Tools for the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes , Thuy-Duong D. Huynh

Development and Implementation of a Training Manual for Increased Utilization of the Universal Exercise Unit (UEU) , Anya Marie Jones

Exploring Leisure and Recreation Programming within a Transitional Living Community , Alexandra Joynes

Metro Parks Adults with Disabilities - Health management , Kaylee M. Lane

Best Practice for Creating a Sensory Garden and Calming Cart for Preschool-Aged Children at a Reggio-Inspired Preschool , Emmalee Lawrence

Fighting Against Parkinson's: A Collection of Occupation-Inspired Workouts for Rock Steady Boxing , Landis Llewelyn

Bridging the Gap: Equipping Caregivers with Skills to Promote Development , Victoria Long

Program Development for Adults and School-Aged Children with Down Syndrome at GiGi’s Playhouse , Jenna Rae Luna

Creation of Educational Resources and Program Development for the Empower Me Center , Sarah Marie T. Morris

Enhancing Concussion Education and Documentation within Belmont University’s Athletic Department , Jenna M. Ogle

Enhancing Participation in Play through Staff Training at We Rock the Spectrum , Megan Poppens

Mental Health and Wellness Programming for Adults with Down Syndrome , Chloe Samter

A Parent's Guide to Pediatric Wheelchair Equipment , Gianna M. Sarli

BEST Screening: Introducing the Neonatal Assessment Visual European Grid to NICUs in Tennessee , Gabrielle Sledge

Expanding Impact to Promote Wellness and Functional Independence , Margaret Stacy

Encouraging Participation for Trainees at Autism Career Training , Sydney L. Stahl

Sensory Exploration Curriculum Development for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at Friends Life Community , Caroline F. Stegall

Promoting Participation in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease through the Development of Accessible Occupation-Based Resources , Kelly Struthers

Navigating Dysautonomia: A Workbook for Empowered Living , Madison Thornton

The Sensory Library: Facilitating Opportunities for Success at Bellevue Elementary School , Reagan M. Trussell

Empowering Clients and Care Partners Living with Parkinson’s Disease Through Evaluating and Addressing Gaps in Client and Care Partner Education , Victoria E. Vik

Increasing Staffs’ Awareness of Adaptive Swim Lesson Methodology and Enhancing Agency’s Infant Lesson Programming , Chloe E. Volpi

Capstone Projects from 2023 2023

Nashville Dolphins Volunteer Training Development , Caitlin Barnickel

Examining Occupational Performance of Fighters and Further Recommendations for Well-being , Caitlin Bender

Building Resilience Through Pregnancy Utilizing Tools from Occupational Therapy and Yoga , Rachel Brown

Occupational Therapies Role in Inpatient Obstetrics , Emily Bryant-Wimp

Center for Courageous Kids Volunteer Training Resources and “Through Our Eyes” Video , Megan M. Cusick

The Lived Experience of Older Adults Desiring to Age in Place , Sarah K. Dean

Work Skills Programming Within Davidson County Residential Drug Court , Sarah Dinnes

Elopement Prevention: Promoting Safety and Supporting Participation , Sarah C. Duckworth

Exploration of Inclusivity and Accessibility of Play Spaces and Miracle League Facilities , Anna Dyduch

Building a Brighter Future: Developing Function Out of Dysfunction , Adrian Ewald

Postsecondary Education Curriculum for Adult Students with IDD at Lipscomb University's IDEAL , Rebecca Gracey

Nashville Dolphins Program Development , Laura Graves

Habits for Health: A Holistic Approach to Women's Well-Being , Katelyn Helms

SELTEC Model Level I Fieldwork Shift in an OTA Program , Paige Henson

Week 13: Promoting Occupational Balance During Trauma Healing Journey Post-Program Participation , Rachel Hicks

Exploring Seating and Mobility Provision , Amaris Hornbuckle

Creation of Occupational Therapy Treatment Protocols for Diagnoses Affecting the Upper Extremities , William Hughes

The Impact of Social Emotional Learning in Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms , Kendall C. Jackson

Integrating Occupational Therapy in an Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Program (IPSE) at Auburn University - EAGLES , Tori Jean

Support for Saint Paul Police Federation’s Retirees , Kaitlin E. Johnson

Developing Resources to Promote Increased Program Activity and Independence for Individuals in a Residential Reentry Program , Kaylee Jorgensen

Implementing Occupational Therapy Principles into a Lower Elementary Private School in Middle Tennessee , Alexandra Shea Katzman

Enhancing Learning Outcomes in an Intervention Based Orthopedic Course , Kathryn E. Kita

Promoting Occupational Therapy Student Well-Being through Scholarship , Hanna Mcclain

Life Skills Guide for Supported Recovery for Individuals with Mental Health Conditions & Their Support Systems , Natalie Metzger

Promoting Health Education and Wellness Among Clients of Nurses for Newborns , Whitney Mitchell

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Addressing Sensory Needs and Fine Motor Development Through Teacher Training , Kennedy M. Morgan

The Home Modification Process Through the Lens of an OT , James C. Nichols

Program Development Through Therapeutic Camps , Bayleigh B. Powers

Developing Group Protocols in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting , Madison Quan

Enhancing OTD Clinical Studies Course Curriculum , Katherine J. Rauch

Adult Vocational Skills Program Development at GiGi’s Playhouse , Lavanya Reddy

Mental Health and Mindfulness: A Homeroom Curriculum at Benton Hall Academy , Kasey A. Rohleder

Promoting Full Participation for Students Involved in Young Life Capernaum , Hannah Simmons

Positive Behavioral Supports and Sensory Experiences at Benton Hall Academy , Ania Spann

Inclusive Unmounted Lesson Curriculum Development at Saddle Up! , Emily A. Wagstaff

Supporting Caregivers through Dementia and ADL Education , Amanda T. Wiedoff

Achieving the Best of All: Program Development for Adults and Preschoolers with Down Syndrome at GiGi's Playhouse , Samantha Wu

Capstone Projects from 2022 2022

GiGi’s Playhouse Program Development , Jensen Anderson

Adult Program Development GiGi’s Playhouse , Ella E. Baggett

Burnout Solutions Through Wellness and Outdoor Adventure , Cassidy Bizzell

Promoting the Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Healthcare Settings through Children's Literature , Angela Bozik

The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Needed for Entry Level Wheelchair Service Providers: A Collaboration with ISWP and CTF , Taylor Bumbalough

Illuminate Academy Shine Shop Resources and Kindergarten Market Research , Rya G. Carroll

Community Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities , Marshall Dumas

Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Skills Handbook , Brooke Edwards

Advocacy and Collaboration to Promote and Enhance Services Provided by Ability App , Callie Emerson

Integrating Best Practice in Belmont’s OTD Curriculum through Research, Dissemination, and Development of Supplemental Course Materials , Alyson Graham

Promoting Client-Centered Learning and Education of Teenage Mothers , Katie R. Hartline

Educational Guides to Assistive Technology and Digital Literacy for Older Adults and Caregivers , Cheney D. Hess

Developing Resources to Promote Proficient Telehealth Service Delivery and Increase Knowledge about Making Changes to a State’s Practice Act , Cassandra M. Howe

Applying Self-Compassion and Stress Management Techniques to Increase Healthy Behaviors Among Women at The New Beginnings Center , Payton Knupp

Promoting Participant and Community Participation at Saddle Up! , Savannah R. MacIsaac

Assessment of Independent Living Skills for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The BrightStone Experience , Amy Mack

Promoting Occupational Well-Being Through Program Development at Rock Steady Boxing , Meredith F. Maines

Home and Environmental Modifications and Community Resources for Individuals with Visual Impairment , Kimberly McLaughlin

Promoting Community Accessibility Through Advocacy and Networking with The Ability App , Chloe C. Moore

Nobody Likes Busy Work: TILTing an OTA Program's Curriculum , Sarah Parkinson

Believe in All: Adaptive Gymnastics Program , Pooja Patel

Evaluating Accessibility in TN State Parks , Ashley C. Phillips

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Home > Communities > College of Health Sciences > OT > OTDCAPSTONES

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program is an advanced, post-professional online program designed to create occupation-based practitioners who will be ethical leaders of change in occupational therapy services for diverse populations. Graduates will serve in leadership roles, affect educational and health care policy, and act as catalysts for excellence in intervention settings in order to better meet the needs of occupational therapy consumers.

One of the final, culminating experiences in the OTD Program is the capstone project, which demonstrates a synthesis of OTD program outcomes. Incorporating principles of evidence-based and occupation-based practice, students address a specific healthcare problem or health outcome and implement practice changes that improve health care, health care delivery, or health-related outcomes. The project is a faculty-guided scholarly experience that provides evidence of critical thinking, and the ability to apply research principles through problem identification, proposal development, implementation, and evaluation of a solution to a practice problem. Capstone projects may take a number of forms, but the final product provides evidence of scholarship and mastery in the areas of leadership, research methods, and practice improvement.

Submissions from 2024 2024

Resilience as a State, "A Learned Trait," Among the Brain Injury Population: A Narrative Analysis , Bailey Gifford

THE EFFECTIVENESS AND FEASIBILITY OF TELEHEALTH OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE COACHING WITH YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: A CASE STUDY , Mara Sampson

Inclusive SpOrTs Environments: Youth Gymnastics Coaches’ Perceptions on Promoting Inclusivity for Autistic Athletes , Alec D. Sheaffer

Submissions from 2023 2023

Occupational Therapy Certified Hand Therapists' Perceptions of Remaining Rooted in Occupation in the Hand Clinic: A Phenomenological Study , Andrea E. Berke-McLaughlin

How do informal caregivers of a person with dementia experience stress and which supports help mitigate the effect of these stressors? , Kwandra Andrews Brinson

THE PERCEPTION OF STROKE ON IADL , Paula O. Buari

Exploring the Perceived Meaning of Community-Based Lifestyle Wellness Programs, Interprofessional Collaboration, and the Relationship to Occupational Therapy: A Phenomenological Approach , Christina Buchignani

Asynchronous Online Telehealth Training: Occupational Therapist’s Perceptions Of Knowledge and Confidence , Breanna L. Campbell

Skilled Nuring Facilities Therapists' Experiences with Acquiring Wheelchairs for Their Clients , Vincent Campbell

Professional Behaviors on the Fieldwork Performance Evaluation: Perspectives of Fieldwork Educators , Jessi S. Clark

Perceptions of Occupational Therapists Working in Established PACE Programs , Jessica L. Daugherty-Peters

Toothbrush Training for Preschool Teachers of Students with Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder , Cheryl D. Domino

Biofeedback and Anxiety Reduction: An Occupational Therapy Intervention for Persons with Long Covid , Colette Freda

Program evaluation of a community-based model for driver off-road assessment in post-acute ABI , Eugenia R. Herbst

Community-Dwelling Older Adults’ Perceived Self-Efficacy and Readiness for Discharge After Receiving Occupational Therapy Services at a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). , SHIH-NI N. LAI

A Pretest-Posttest Survey Study of Parent Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Occupational Performance Coaching on Caregiver-Child Play Occupations , Hailee B. Lewis House

The Impact of Brief Mindfulness Training on Occupational Therapy (OT) Students' Perceived Level of Stress , Emily K. Masters

Perceptions of Occupational Therapy Practitioners in Recognizing and Addressing Older Adult Food Insecurity , Mitzie Marion C. Mickelson

Enhancing Support Staff Self-Efficacy in Supporting Neurodiverse Students’ Classroom Engagement , Jennifer Molina

Client Perceptions on the Value of Pre-Surgical Education Regarding the Recovery Process after Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty , Alice J. Mullholand

Experiences of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury and Return to Work: A Scoping Review , Soofia Naqvi

BARRIERS TO SLEEP IN US ARMY SERVICE MEMBERS: A SCOPING REVIEW , Sally Paul

A one-day in person workshop to assess novice occupational therapists’ perceived level of preparedness in supervising Level II fieldwork students. , Inken Prochilo

Administrators’ Perceptions of Alternative Service Delivery Models and the School-based Occupational Therapists’ Role , Kimberly Saccucci

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Perceptions of Workplace Stressors in One Nursing Home Post Pandemic , Owen T. Tabelisma

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Perceptions of Their Confidence and Skills When Providing Community and Social Interventions After a Guided Educational Experience , Jenny Williams

Don’t Forget the Importance of Leisure Occupations for the Community Dwelling Elder , Susan Witt

Submissions from 2022 2022

Maintaining Occupations for Long-Term Care Residents , Lara Albano

Use of Concept Mapping Within a Functional Neuroanatomy Course to Promote Critical Thinking Skills in Occupational Therapy Students , Alissa R. Baker

Occupation and Time-Use: The Narratives of One Individual with Tetraplegia , Amanda Balser

Understanding Perceptions of Social Eating During Lunch for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: An Instrumental Case Study , Madelyn Duzyk

Occupational Therapists’ clinical reasoning in AAT with dogs in pediatric therapy , Catherine C. Goodman

Understanding the Experiences of Occupational Therapists Assessing and Treating Functional Cognition Following Stroke , Emma R. Gregg

The Effects of Education with Healthcare Providers on Low Vision Assistive Devices and their Ability to Improve Self-Care Skills , Lora L. Jester-Rains

Interprofessional Collaboration Practice Between Nurses and Occupational Therapists , Kimberly Lamke

ImpACTing Students: Students with Disabilities Participating in a Theater Occupation-Based Program , Markii D. Landry

The use of compression to treat phlebolymphedema symptomology: A systematic review , Naomi Moran

Coaching, Capacity, and Change: Youth Sport Providers' Perceptions on Creating a Health-Promoting Environment , Jennifer Papenfuse

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Employer-Sponsored Evidence-Based Practice Activities , Kelli Spayd

School-Based Practitioners' Perceptions of Working with Students with Challenging Behaviors , Candace Thrash

Effectiveness of Electrical Stimulation in Treating Upper Extremity Pain for Older Adult Clients Residing in a Skilled Nursing Facility , Cody L. West

Submissions from 2021 2021

The Impact of Volunteer Transportation on Older Adult’s Engagement in Meaningful Activities , Belinda Alexander

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Homecare Setting , Erica J. Arndt

Examining Cognitive, Social and Teaching Presence in a Virtual Professional Continuing Education Workshop , Christina Bretz

A Case Study of Children's Programming in Transitional Housing , Crystal L. Coffman

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Handwriting Programs on Legibility in First Grade Students , Whitney Cook

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of the Value of Collaboration with School-Based Occupational Therapists , Jennifer Edick

AN INTERPROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT STUDENTS THROUGH A SIMULATED EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT , Brooke Gentry

EFFECTIVENESS OF COLLABORATIVE HANDWRITING CURRICULUM: HANDWRITING WITHOUT TEARS AND ORTON-GILLINGHAM, IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM SETTING. , Merry G. Harper

How Does Intraprofessional and Interprofessional Collaboration Impact the Use of Occupation-Based Practice in Skilled Nursing Facilities , Stedmon D. Hopkins

Get the Wiggles Out: Sensory Paths a Motor-based Intervention to Decrease Out-of-Seat Events in Preschool Children with Special Needs. , Teresa Ludwig

THE ROLE OF REHABILITATION SERVICES IN MANAGING DELIRIUM IN THE ICU: A RETROSPECTIVE CHART REVIEW , Veronique MUNIER

Does Pre-operative Education Increase Activity Participation and Decrease Perceived Arm Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Patients? , Stephanie R. Rexing

Parental Educational and Engagement Through Positioning and Play , Gaile E. Seay

Assistive Technology in Transition Programming for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities , Jennifer L. Veenendall

Occupational Therapists’ Consideration of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity when Working with Adolescents: An Exploratory Study , Kristin Willey

Therapists’ perceptions of student preparedness regarding hand therapy and the use of occupation-based interventions , Stephanie Ye

Understanding Parent Beliefs and Attitudes Regarding Healthy Relationships and Sexuality Education: Bridging the Inclusivity Gap , Marie C. Zarrilli

Submissions from 2020 2020

Fieldwork Educator Preparedness: A Study Examining the Effect of an Online Learning Module on the Perceived Preparedness Levels of Fieldwork Educators , Breanna Chycinski

The Impact of Cooking Groups on One Individual's Transition to Independent Living , Alison Garcia

An Exploration of Financial Management Programming for Residents in One Homeless Shelter: A Qualitative Institutional Case Study , Amy M. Heiser

Best Practice for Teaching Manual Therapy Techniques to Occupational Therapy Practitioners , Deana K. Jackson

Occupational Engagement in Adults under age 65 living in Skilled Nursing Facilities (OEA-SNF) , Rebecca A. King

Occupational Therapy: The Supports and Barriers to Practice , TAMMY LANE

ACE: A Recipe for Occupational Competence , Brittany J. Miller

Determining the Effect of Target Education on Students’ Cultural Responsiveness and Performance During Standard Patient Interactions , Rebecca Mojica

THE IMPACT OF MOBILE MEDIA ON THE FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS ENTERING INTO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM , Bernadette H. Needham

Promoting Writing Development in Preschoolers , Claudia M. Ortiz

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SUPPORT IN THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM THROUGH RTI TIER I INTERVENTIONS: KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF NEED , Robyn R. Scarlett

The Impact of Parent Education with Augmentative and Alternative Communication , Kirsta von Hellens

Submissions from 2019 2019

Parental Self-Efficacy of the “Unexpected Parent” , Cinthia L. Arbogast

Heart To Heart: Educating Allied Healthcare Students and Professionals About Heart Failure , Samantha M. Barefoot

Occupational Therapist-Led Parent Support Group Using an Occupational Therapy Approach , Sean Brim

The Role of Evidence-Based Practice in Alzheimer's Disease and/or Dementia , Laura Leigh Cole

Acute Care Occupational Therapy Practice: Application of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure in A Palliative Care Program , Karen Enlow

Understanding Therapists' Perceptions of Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders Using the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool , Jaimie K. Estreet

Incorporating Meaningful Occupations of Students with Moderate to Severe Intellectual Disabilities into Structured Learning Experiences with Transition Planning at a Public School System , Catherine Gardner

Outcomes for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder (asd) Utilizing Adolescent Adaptive Life Skills Groups , Elizabeth A. Grant

Use of Self-Care Standardized Assessments in Occupational Therapy Skilled Nursing Home Practice , Courtney M. Green

The Impact of an Occupation Based Parkinson Caregiver Program on Caregiver's Quality of Life , Jennifer L. Labonte

The Impact of Education on Implementation of Mirror Box Therapy Across Occupational Therapy Practice Settings , Nicole Y. LaRue

The Home Health Aide Experience: Opportunities for Occupational Therapy , Julia Mindlina

Person-Environment Interactions: the Psychological Implications of Behaviors, Confidence, and Self-Efficacy in Falls Management. , Lisa S. Roberson

What Stops Some Occupational Therapy Practitoners From Providing Fieldwork Education? , Jacqueline S. Schafer-Clay

Exploring Therapist Engagement Using Process Consultation , Rachel B. Spaide

Examining the Benefits of Educating Caregivers About Tummy Time in the Acute Care Setting , Alexandra L. Turner

Movement Opportunities Through Vestibular Engagement To Rhythm (mover) , Lindsay B. Williams

Submissions from 2018 2018

Occupational Therapy Intervention for Project Search Interns With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential for Improved Transition Outcomes , Jessie L. Bricker

Perceptions of ATP Certified Occupational Therapy Practitioners on Assistive Technology Education in Occupational Therapy Programs , Karen M. Dishman OTD, OTR, ATP

A Pilot Experimental Study of Adding the Copm To the Occupational Therapy Evaluation Process In the Swing-bed Division of A Rural Hospital Setting , Sarah T. Durbin Ms.

The Impact of Interactive Education on Caregivers Caring for Individuals With Dementia , Lisa K. Hong

Pre-Sleep Routines in Adult Normal Sleepers , Jean Koketsu

Nursing Perceptions of Occupational Therapy for Delirium Management in the Intensive Care Unit , Emma McClellan

Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors in Reading Comprehension for Occupational Therapy Assistant Students , Cynthia L. Meyer

Training Appalachian, Hospital-based Occupational Therapists on the Use of Standardized, Occupation-based Outcome Measures and Treatment Concepts for Traumatic Upper Extremity Injuries: A Pilot Program , Donald G. Pitts

Submissions from 2017 2017

Sensory-based Group Treatment in Reducing Physically Acting-out Behaviors and Perceived Levels of Distress , Tiffany Barnette

Investigating the Effectiveness of Web-based Modules Reinforcing Therapy Topics for Caregivers involved in Early Intervention , Terri L. Beard MS, OTR/L

Investigating the Effectiveness of Web-based Recommended Practice Tutorials for Caregivers of Children in Early intervention Programs , Terri L. Beard

Opening Minds Through Art: Engaging Art Agencies To Foster Community Participation and Commitment , Ashlyn Cunningham

The Residency Program Experience: Impact on Resident and Mentor , Lisa Hiestand

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Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Bridging the Gap: Addressing Systemic Factors in Assistive Technology Provision Through Resource Creation and Stakeholder Engagement , Isabel Atkinson

Strengthening Vocational Skills In Adolescents With Disabilities: A Review Of A Pediatric Occupational Therapy Workforce Program , Jordan T. Bennie

Developing a Practice Guide for Occupational Therapy Services Within a Novel Interdisciplinary Infant Mental Health Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia , Allyssa Bidwell

Supporting Students with Sensory Processing Differences in the Classroom: Development of Educational Resources for Teachers , Morgan Paige Bouwkamp

Navigating Diversity: A Thorough Review of the Barriers and Facilitators for Retention of Minority Clinicians in the Healthcare System , Jadia L. Bullock

Support Group on Neurodivergent Affirming Care for Spanish-Speaking Caregivers , Daniela Castro

Culinary Care for Individuals with Distal Radius Fracture to Improve Function in the Kitchen , Rebecca Cohen Dr.

Enhancing the Experiences of Family Caregivers and Formal Caregivers at a Non-medical Model Caregiving Company: the Optimization of Communication Practices , Sarah Curtis

A Comprehensive Business Plan and Sustainability Model for a Student-Led Pro-Bono Clinic Enriching Students and Community Well-Being , Kelsey T. Days

Increasing recruitment and retention of minority students in an OT educational program: Understanding barriers to a career as an Occupational Therapists and Increasing awareness of OT , Carolina Figueroa

A Multifaceted Occupational Therapy-Based Transition Program Manual for Collegiate-Level Athletes Who Have Experienced Career-Ending Injuries , Shannen-Rose L. Forde

The Development of Culturally-Appropriate Educational Materials to Facilitate Comprehension and Adherence to Occupational Therapy Interventions , Tyler Friefeld

Children’s Adaptive Swim Instruction for Caregivers , Evelyn C. Hernandez

Globalizing Occupational Therapy: Bridging Gaps In Community-Based Care Of The Dominican Republic Through Digital Education In Therapeutic Interventions , Laura Hildreth

The Effect of a Psychosocial Occupational Therapy-Based Group on Self-confidence and Perceived Life Satisfaction in an Outpatient Addiction Rehabilitation Center , Lindsay J. Hodge

Breaking Barriers: Program Development for Enhancing Communication between Law Enforcement and Brain Injury Survivors for Safer Encounters , Colleen Johnson

Adult Life Skills at GiGi’S Playhouse: Program Expansion & Individualization for Adults with Down Syndrome , Kaylee Kennedy

The V.O.I.C.E Workshop: A Verbal Outreach and Interpersonal Communication Empowerment Workshop for the Staff at an LGBTQ+ Homeless Program , Nayla A. Long

The Effects of Parental Income Level on Sensory Processing at a Low-Income Daycare , Camden Lorys

Supporting Informal Caregivers of Patients Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): The Development of A Comprehensive Resource Website , Makayla Matson

The Development of Sensory and Coregulation Techniques to Improve Self-Regulation for Children Who Were Affected by Lockdown During Covid , Nicole May

Promoting Action Observation in Stroke Rehabilitation by Facilitating Knowledge Translation , Madison Medina

AdaptedEx: Community-based Adapted Exercise Program for Adolescents with Physical Disabilities to Support Health Maintenance , Grace Mura

Optimizing Physical Readiness: Development of an Effective Individualized Exercise Program for Injured Cadet Soldiers to Reduce Regression of Performance Skills and Further Injury During a Profile , Angela Nguyen

Perspectives on Youth Transition Services in Rhode Island: An Implementation Guide for East Greenwich High School , Margaux Officer

Program Development Addressing Sex and Intimacy in Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation , Rebecca L. Parker

Developing a Peer Mentor Training Guide for an Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program , Rosemary Ellen Peters

OT2B: The Creation of a Targeted Pre-Professional Club and Educational Intervention to Increase Awareness of and Interest in Occupational Therapy in a Diverse and Non-Traditional Undergraduate Student Population , Molly T. Rowland

Creating an Occupation-Based Psychosocial and Life Skills Program for Refugee Adolescents , Jennifer Saj

Designing and Assessing an Evidence-Based Support Resource for Parents of Children Included in Special Education in a Small, Rural School District , Mirage Sanders

Developing an Occupational Therapy Trauma-Informed Guide for Practitioners to Address the Needs of Adults Following Trauma-Inducing Events , Michael Santos Jr

Development of a Peer-Led Community Program to Improve Social Engagement Between Older Adults with and without Dementia , Ashley Sciandra

Elective Course Development: Occupational Therapy in the Acute Care Setting , Ella Thompson

Utilizing an Occupational Therapy Perspective to Develop a Business Plan for a Neurodiversity Affirming Special Education School , Jillian Turner

Increasing the Participation and Inclusion of Students with Disabilities within the General Education Elementary School Classroom , Katherine Tyre

Canine-Assisted Support: Adapting a Facility Dog Program to Address Developmental Milestones in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) , Kathryn M. Verdeyen

Occupation-Based Intervention for Individuals Who Have Experienced TBI and IPV: Role of OTs and Neurological Assessments , Alyssa Hope Waters

Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy in Concussion Care in Young Athletes , Julia E. Watkins

Barriers & Supports to Occupational Therapists Working in Pelvic Health Across Three Healthcare Delivery Systems: Outpatient, Hospitals, and Home Health , Charlotte Watts

A Health and Wellness Program for Young Adults with Down Syndrome at GIGI's Playhouse: An Occupational-Therapy Based Perspective , Erin B. Wooten

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Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Students in the Occupational Therapy program spend their last three semesters creating a capstone project. This major academic achievement represents a synthesis of content learned throughout the program.

Subject matter such as theory, research methodology and analysis, program development, and education of clients are applied to either faculty lines of research or projects that will serve the community.

Students gather in teams to complete the thesis under the mentorship of their faculty thesis advisor. Completed theses are disseminated to a wide audience of constituents either in poster sessions, workshops, or peer-reviewed journals.

Theses/Capstones from 2024 2024

Addressing the Occupational Needs of College Students , Amanda Lam, Ashley Keates, Marissa Heirich, Noreen Pervaiz, and Albert Andrew Mendoza

Creating Sensory Friendly Spaces and Accessibility to Support Inclusion at the California Academy of Sciences , Ariana Sales, Elizabeth Weintraub, Gabriele Alviz, Nicole Conyers, and Julia Karczewski

Life after Brain Injury: Family Perspectives , Brenda Yamileth Escobar, Edith Elaine Leslie, Caroline Nicole Mendoza, and Arianna Masako Inouye

Life After Pediatric Hemorrhagic Stroke: Family Perspectives , Louis Barnett, Sabrina Montano, Deana Vander Meulen, Charissa Thompson, and Alma Martinez Pamatz

Participating in Formal Occupational Therapy Mentorship Programs: Mentees Experiences , Amanda Yumiko Raigosa, Erin Elizabeth Heckelman, Isabelle Jenkins Abrahams Pisano, Alyssa Cailin Reyes Manuel, and Alice Thien Nguyen

Perspectives of OT Students on Co-Curricular Resilience Activities and Resources , Dan Kavin Agbayani, Stephen Beck, Nicole Colombo, Danielle Tirpack, and Mikayla Hilario

Relationship of Resilience Levels , Makenna Rubinstein, Breeana Montoya, Alana Martinez, Alexis Perez, and Emily Xiong

The Barriers to Adult Play in Graduate Students , Rosalind Nolde, Sabrina Solis, Catherine Salomon, and T Monelli

What is the Form, Function, and Meaning of Play for Adults in the U.S.? , Tillden Tecson, Camille Howell, Michelle Lee, Oscar Rubio, and Nerwel Zhao

Theses/Capstones from 2023 2023

An Exploration of the Occupational Needs of College Students , Christian D. Gabon, Jennifer Brady, Kaela Jules Antonio, Kayla Twite Lehnen, and Beatriz Go

A Qualitative Study on Long-Term Adherence to Home Exercise Programs in People with Parkinson’s Disease , Caroline Stafford, Brennan Decena, Shawn Lopez, and Judith Thepkaisone

Exploring the Occupational Transition of Leaving a Cult , Justine Thompson, Baylee R. Chelossi, Emily Osborn, and Christian J. Quitoriano

Life After Brain Injury - Family Perspectives , Shaina Snyder, Everlee Anderson, Allison Wyek, Elijah Tolentino-Medios, and Cathyisabella Kintanar

Life After Brain Injury - Survivor and Family Perspectives , Brandon Duenas, Gary Eng, Haleli Moalem, and Miguel Regidor

Life After Pediatric Hemorrhagic Stroke: Family Centered Outcomes , Janice Brown, Jordan Ng, Reilly Todd, and Alyssa Vo

Measuring Outcomes of Occupational Therapy Facilitated in Natural Settings with Young Children , Amie Smith, Deepak Dale, Brinda Saini, Zoe Peters, and Amanda Laccone

Occupation-Based CNA Program to Build Caregiver Knowledge and Self-Efficacy in Dementia Care , Lucky Ung, Judy Chen, and Michelle Hong

OTs Delivering Culturally Sensitive Care for Dementia Family Caregivers From Diverse Backgrounds , Abraham Lai, Lucy Palacios Mendez, and Darren Sarmiento

Promoting Cultural Arts Access through Sensory-Friendly Theatre , Chanelle Bautista, Alyssa Cho, Jazmine Cunanan, Ariana Marino, and Miko Ramos

The LOTUS Project: A Resilience Program for Dominican University of California Occupational Therapy Graduate Students , Melissa Morini, Naema Dahdoul, Ashley Moffett, Regine Erika Saldivar, and Viviana Vazquez

Training Program for Occupational Therapists Working with Skilled Caregivers in Skilled Nursing Facilities , Lovegifty Dudero, Mai Huynh, and Ridhee Patel

Theses/Capstones from 2022 2022

Adults with Sensory Defensiveness and Their Use of Coping Strategies , Cassidy McCurdy, Sonia Patiño, Julia McMahon, and Sophia Hagen

A Virtual View of Occupation: Transactionalism in MMORPGs , John Miklos, Alex Nold, Shasta Rice, and Amanda Flores

Batok: The Exploration of Indigenous Filipino Tattooing as a Collective Occupation , Ana Cabalquinto, Carmela Dizon, Chelsea Ramirez, and Mai Santiago

Developing a Resilience Program for Occupational Therapy Students , Sienna Guzman, Jenna Lazo, Rachel Thompson, and Madisson Walker

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Home > Student Research > Capstone Papers

Student Capstone Papers

This collection of SOAR@USA includes capstone projects submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences The collection currently contains doctoral capstones from the Occupational Therapy Program.

Capstone Papers from 2024 2024

Social Participation Program for Older Adults with Dementia Residing in Long Term Care Facilities , Keri McClelland

Capstone Papers from 2023 2023

Occupational Therapists’ Role in Educating Caregivers on Pediatric Sensory Interventions Guided by Neurodiversity Principles , Deanna Bourgeois

Database of Video Games and Their Therapeutic Properties , Tyler Brinkman

Adaptive Sports Equipment: A Resource for Clinicians, Coaches, & Athletes , Allison Chown

Analysis of Firefighters’ Psychological Trauma and Interrupted Domains , Alyssa Garcia, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, and Kristian Llaca

Addressing Psychosocial Client Factors in People with Cancer: An Occupational Therapy Guidebook , Hannah Marlette

Occupational Therapy in End-of-Life Care , Shannon Sudrla

Capstone Papers from 2022 2022

The Role of OT in Adapted CrossFit , Emily Adams

Occupational Rights Workshops: Critical Reflection, Discussion, and Collaboration with Occupational Therapists , Michelle Arakaki

An Occupational Therapy Guidebook for Individuals with Substance Use Disorder , Cassidy B. Ardoin

Establishing a Sustainable Occupational Therapy Student-Led Pro Bono Clinic at the University of Saint Augustine in Austin, Texas , Daija Chumley

A Manualized Occupational Therapy Mindfulness Module for Clients with PTSD , Michael Ramirez

Supporting the Transition Out of the Family Caregiver Role: An Occupation-Centered Approach , Whitney Wilbanks

Capstone Papers from 2021 2021

Stimming Expresses Empathy, not to be Masked or Persecuted: A Scoping Review and Case Study of the “Double-Empathy Problem” Solved by Recognizing the Autism Language , Kathryn Haas

Cephalocaudal-Remote Approach , David Ledesma

Occupational Engagement and Integration Among Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Immigrants , Sherry Manoly

Occupational Therapist’s Role in Addressing Transition Support Through Life Skills , Rupa Parikh

Qualitative Exploration of Mealtime Routines and Parental Stress of Children with Pediatric Feeding Disorders: Analysis of Occupational Performance , Andrea Patino

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Addressing Sexuality and Intimacy for Individuals with Progressive Neuromuscular Disorders , Lindsay N. Richards

Analysis Of Occupational Therapy’s Role to Promote Healthy Sleep Participation to Support Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Sophia N. Roman

Exploring Occupational Dysfunction and Occupational Performance for Youth in Homeless Shelters , Akio Ross

An Investigation of Occupational Therapy Utilizing Sensory Modulation to Manage Co-Morbid Chronic Pain and Substance Use in Order to Promote Occupational Performance and Recovery , Claire Ruth

Occupational Therapy in Youth Violence: An Occupation-Based Program for At-Risk Youth , Jasmine Shahin

An Occupation-Based Program to Promote Mental Health of At-Risk Youth in an After-Care Setting , Alexa Smith

Occupational Therapist Role in Post-Secondary Education Transition Program: Emphasis on Self-Advocacy Skills , Nikki K. Voorhees

Capstone Papers from 2020 2020

Perceived Impact of Non-contact Boxing on Daily Life and Occupational Participation at Home Among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease , Kristen E. Bignal

Exploring the Concurrent Validity of the Indoor Mobility Pre-driving Screen (IMPS): A Comparison of the IMPS and EF-Car Motion Driving Simulator. , Nicholas T. Bolen

Non-pharmaceutical Methods for Pain Management: An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective on Chronic Pain , Alison L. Brown

Exploring accessibility and social inclusion for children with hearing impairments in residential camps through the occupational therapy lens , Tiffany Coles

Benefits of Equine-Based Therapy for Individuals with Dementia , Lauren Fearn

Enhancing Engagement in Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease at a Reminiscencce Therapy Adult Day Center , Kendra C. Gillio

Sensory Approach to Self-Regulation for Adolescent Survivors of Sex Trafficking: An Occupational Therapist's Perspective , Elyse Harmon

Exploring Occupational Disruption in Newly Diagnosed Individuals with Cancer with Minor (Dependent) Children , Riley S. Harrold

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Assisting with Community Reintegration for Survivors of Human Trafficking , Jane Jany Huynh

Understanding the Impact of Social Distancing on Older Adults and Senior Centers to Better Adapt Towards a New Normal , Salina Jivan

An Occupational Therapy Approach to Education for Foster Parents , Alexandra E. Judd

Occupational Therapy and Accessibility in the Outdoors and Summer Camps , David M. Lewis

Developing Educational Resources to Support the Use of the Hippotherapy Evaluation and Assessment Tool , Emily Peoples

Leadership Roles in the Field of Occupational Therapy , Christina Pitts

Occupational Therapy's Role in Pain Management using Virtual Reality , Johnathan Quach

Turning Everyday Activities into Play: Building Relationships and Fostering Connections for Adopted Children and Children in Foster Care , Marissa E. Siu

Mental Health in the School System: Providing Tools and Resources for Teachers , Hannah Skinner

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

Improving Awareness and Access to Adaptive Sports , Alison S. Takagaki

Occupational Therapy's Role in Adapting Residential Youth Camps for Increased Inclusion , Brittany Tate

Occupational Therapy's Role in Matching Handlers and Assistance Dogs with Occupational Needs , Jyoti K. Tatla

Animal-Assisted Therapy and Quality of Life in Patients with Dementia , Karissa D. Thomson

Occupational Therapy Student Pro Bono Clinic: Creating a Sustainable Model , Shane Tong

Occupational Therapy's Role in the Transition to Employment for Youth and Young Adults , Jeanne M. Ventura

Supporting The Role And Transition To Motherhood Through The Occupation Of Feeding , BethAnne N. Vidmar

Inclusion in Religion and Spirituality for Children with Special Needs , MacKinzie C. Weiss

Capstone Papers from 2019 2019

Development of a Financial Literacy Component for a Comprehensive Secondary Transition Program for Diploma-bound Students with Learning Differences , Rose Marie Borillo

Occupational Therapy's Role in Maternal Mental Health within Transition from NICU to Home , Victoria Briltz

Perspectives of Occupational Therapy Practitioners on Benefits and Barriers on Providing Occupational Therapy Services via Telehealth , Taylor Corey

Identifying Occupational Therapy Role for Individuals in Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Programs , Tyler Cruz

Increasing Social Participation in Senior Center Through Program Development , Diana Dinh

Caregiver Perspectives on Telehealth: A Service Delivery for Occupational Therapy , Rebecca Johnston

Assessing Workplace Wellness for the Occupation of Hairdressing , Alex Kim

Enhancing Quality of Life of People With Visual Impairments Through Aesthetic Techniques , Christia M. Labro

The Role of Occupational Therapy for Survivors of Human Trafficking , Margaux Mariano

Promoting Productive Aging among Low-Income Older Adults , Sarah Matsuoka

Lifestyle Management for Vestibular Disorders , Michelle Pock

Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy in Primary Care , Tina Rosselli

Identifying Opportunities for the Role of Occupational Therapy in a Correctional Setting , Maxwell Sand

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Designing effective capstone experiences and projects for entry-level doctoral students in occupational therapy: One program’s approaches and lessons learned

Entry-level doctoral occupational therapy programs require students to complete a capstone experience and project that supports advanced skills through an in-depth learning experience with a student-selected mentor. Strong curriculum design and mentorship are vital aspects of successful capstone experiences and projects. Through the application of these key components, students are supported, in collaboration with mentors, to achieve mutually beneficial projects allowing advancement of the profession through dissemination of capstone work.

The first entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) program in the US was accredited in 1998 ( American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014 ), and the initial entry-level OTD education accreditation standards were set forth by the American Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in 2006. The doctoral section of the ACOTE standards were subsequently updated in 2011 and 2018 ( ACOTE, 2018 ; AOTA, 2011 ). In 2015, there were six accredited entry-level OTD programs in the US; currently, approximately 170 entry-level OTD programs are either fully accredited, in the application process for accreditation, or in the development phase of accreditation ( AOTA, 2019 ). A steady increase of new OTD programs emerging has resulted in major changes to the accreditation standards that outline the uniqueness of the doctoral degree compared with the master’s degree.

One pivotal and consistent component of the doctoral standards is the requirement for students to complete an advanced competency experience at the end of the curriculum. The most recent ACOTE standards, to be implemented in the summer of 2020, changed the name from the previously entitled “doctoral experiential component” to the “capstone experience and project” ( ACOTE, 2018 , p. 38). Capstone components in entry-level OTD curricula support previous literature, both inside and outside of the profession, that asserts that graduates from these programs must engage in experiences and projects that demonstrate synthesis and application of knowledge gained through the curriculum ( ACOTE, 2018 ; Campbell, 2011 ). In addition, the literature reflects the view that doctoral students should participate in professional scholarly endeavors ( ACOTE, 2018 ; Jirikowic et al., 2015 ). The OTD capstone is an essential component of entry-level OTD programs that prepare graduates to accept responsibility and professional autonomy in assuming leadership roles in the health care delivery system ( AOTA, 2013 ). According to ACOTE standards, the capstone should not be designed as a third fieldwork; rather, it should provide students with an in-depth experience in one or more of eight identified focus areas: clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development ( ACOTE, 2018 ). Further, compared with the previous ACOTE standards, the newest standards provide more detail on the requirements for students, educational programs, and capstone mentors.

The entry-level OTD capstone is divided into a 14-week capstone experience and project (herein called capstone), which ACOTE requires to be aligned with each program’s vision, mission, and curricular design ( ACOTE, 2018 ). During the capstone, students are mentored by an individual with expertise in the student’s area of interest, and students complete an individual capstone project that demonstrates synthesis of advanced knowledge as well as application of gained knowledge ( ACOTE, 2018 ). Through capstone experiences and projects, occupational therapy (OT) students are afforded significant opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills, and motivation by engaging in emerging practice areas, primary care, interprofessional teams, and specialty practice areas ( Olsen et al., 2010 ). Capstone experiences and projects are widely used as a component of teaching in graduate health profession programs and are often associated with higher levels of student learning because of the deeper approach that allows students to gain experience integrating ideas into real-world practice ( Campbell, 2011 ). Clinical doctoral programs, many of which include capstone projects, have become the new educational standard among most health professions ( Brownell & Swaner, 2009 ; Campbell, 2011 ). An entry-level schema for clinical doctorates is a precedent that has been established by a variety of health-related professions, including OT.

Both the increasing number of entry-level OTD programs in the US and demands to recruit and support new capstone opportunities have created a need to describe the capstone curricula and educational methods of existing programs as potential models for other programs. Having gained experience and addressed key challenges in designing and implementing OTD capstone curricula, the authors are motivated to share the program’s model and lessons learned with peers in academic and nonacademic OT settings. This paper will describe the curriculum design of this institution’s capstone program as well as the processes of academic preparation, the roles and responsibilities of capstone partners, the mentor selection processes, approaches to capstone evaluation and outcomes, and lessons learned. The intent of this article is to support academic colleagues in informing the development and implementation of effective new capstone programs for OTD students

Key ACOTE Standards Related to Capstone

ACOTE is an associated advisory council of the executive board of AOTA and is the recognized accrediting agency for OT education. Academic resources outlined in the A.2.0 ACOTE (2018) standards address the roles, qualifications, general responsibilities, and release-time expectations of the capstone coordinator (CC). Capstone definitions and requirements are addressed in the eight D standards ( ACOTE, 2018 ). These capstone-specific standards address the design of the doctoral capstone and its reflection of the curriculum design, preparation for capstone, contractual agreements, duration of the capstone experience, mentor requirements, mechanism of evaluation, and doctoral project stipulations ( ACOTE, 2018 ). In the following sections, key ACOTE standards are summarized for capstone experiences and projects, demonstrating approaches to achieving these standards most effectively.

Doctoral Program Overview

This university’s OT program is 33 months in length and comprises 2 years of didactic coursework. It includes three Level I fieldwork rotations, 6 months of Level II fieldwork, and a 14-week capstone that occurs in the final semester. When the inaugural cohort of students were enrolled, six other accredited entry-level OTD programs existed nationwide, with numerous others in varying stages of accreditation. With limited numbers of similar programs as guiding models, the faculty created a capstone curriculum through alignment with the program’s vision, mission, and targeted educational outcomes for students. Curriculum development was guided by the ACOTE standards, with the faculty actively seeking advice through extensive faculty discussions and networking with other OTD programs. To date, this program has four cohorts of capstone students totaling 131 students and capstone projects. This OTD program follows the practice-scholar model as a prominent thread in the curriculum. The design of this model is to support students in developing professional skills and abilities to be lifelong learners and effective consumers of evidence, students who are evidence-informed and evidence-based practitioners and who have a drive for research design and innovation ( Crist et al., 2005 ). Regarding the curriculum and the OTD capstone, significant time and effort is spent building and following the practice-scholar model tenants in an already densely packed curriculum. This approach presents unique challenges because priority is placed on service learning where the allotment of resources is in areas outside of minimum curricular requirements, including numerous experiences in community engagement and project-based learning; thus, there is a risk of not emphasizing foundational knowledge and skills. To address these and other challenges in the capstone process, the program incorporates several distinguishing features in the following areas: capstone curriculum; role delineation for the faculty, CC, mentor, and student; dissemination; and the themes and characteristics of the mentors’ and students’ projects.

Capstone Curriculum

The OT students take three designated courses related to capstone: (a) Doctoral Capstone Planning, (b) Doctoral Capstone, and (c) Practice-Scholar Culmination. Jirikowic et al. (2015) and DeIuliis and Bednarski (2019) outline a similar structure for capstone development centered around four stages: idea development, planning, implementation, and dissemination. Although the first capstonerelated course (idea development and planning) begins in the fifth semester, or spring of the students’ second year, students are encouraged to develop and document ideas of interest from the start of the program. A successful strategy that students have employed for collecting ideas is creating a shared online document to store topics and capstone project ideas gleaned from interactions with guest lecturers, community partners, and faculty. This early and student-directed collection of capstone ideas from the start of the program allows students to generate ideas to cultivate by the time the capstone planning class occurs. The second and third capstone-related courses (implementation and dissemination) occur during the sixth and final semester of the program ( DeIuliis & Bednarski, 2019 ). The following section includes examples of assignments and activities that have been successful in the planning, preparation, implementation, and dissemination phases for our OTD students.

Doctoral Capstone Planning

During the initial capstone class, students engage in a 15-week capstone planning course that consists of traditional lecture, in-class and online discussions, self-study, and guest panel presentations. This course supports students in designing individualized capstone level plans, with faculty direction to guide the development and implementation of the 14-week doctoral capstone. The student’s plan will reflect the desired outcomes from the doctoral capstone, which are to acquire practice-scholar competencies reflecting the degree program’s sequence and scope of content in the curriculum design. The goals of the capstone planning course include identifying interest areas, topics, and mentors, as well as finalizing a draft of the capstone plan. Because the initial capstone plans are created a year in advance, much can change for a mentor and mentor site. Thus, capstone plans need to be fluid, working documents that allow for changes to meet the evolving needs of the students, mentors, and sites. The high value coursework included in the capstone planning class, above and beyond the ACOTE requirement of needs assessment and literature review, is described as follows:

• Students explore capstone ideas and supporting evidence in an online discussion board. The final capstone idea is derived from this initial discussion board work.
• Students create individualized marketing materials to send to potential mentors. Materials include a flyer that defines capstone, details student ideas, and clearly identifies mentor roles.
• Students are encouraged to be creative in capstone flyer design while also adhering to health care literacy standards and accessibility standards.
• Using the content from the flyer, students work in small groups to hone a capstone elevator speech for mentors.
• Students engage in peer-to-peer teaching via feedback assignments through online discussion boards. Students upload marketing materials and provide one another with constructive feedback.
• Current capstone experience students in the community return to campus to present capstone projects to the planning class. Students are required to include information regarding the journey of planning, mentor selection, collaboration process with mentors, and the challenges and successes experienced. Students who complete capstones farther from campus are asked to submit video summaries to the online learning system detailing capstones work.
• Examples of exemplar capstone projects are shared with the students to support developing capstone ideas and selecting of mentors.

An ACOTE requirement is that students must complete a literature review and needs assessment before the capstone experience. One of the fundamental challenges is that students have not yet completed longer clinical rotations and do not have the context for application to practice for a robust needs assessment. Another challenge is that students may not identify a mentor during the planning class and need to complete these two requirements while on fieldwork where the focus is on developing entrylevel practice skills. While students become proficient in literature reviews during the program, most do not have enough relevant experience to envision focus areas and application in practice. To meet these challenges, content in the capstone planning class was designed to support students in fulfilling these requirements so that they are not doing this activity while on fieldwork. Students must identify a topic of interest; a search strategy inclusive of search engines, search terms, and article yields; and a summary of topic-focused articles that can be shared with potential mentors. Students complete a needs assessment via a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis based on the literature or in collaboration with a mentor (if identified early in the planning class) ( Rizzo & Kim, 2005 ).

Another component in the class is the development of a student’s capstone plan. This consists of eight parts: (a) mentor information, (b) capstone overview relating the plan to AOTA’s Vision 2025 and to the program’s overall mission and goals, (c) focus areas identified (d) mentor name and qualification information, (e) learning objectives (based on focus area), (f) proposed learning activities, (g) proposed evidence or deliverables of the project (what is being provided to the mentor/site), and (h) the project timeline ( AOTA, 2017 ). In this capstone plan are weekly activity tracking forms, program created midterm evaluation forms (narrative), and the program created final capstone evaluation form, all of which are requirements in the D standards of ACOTE (2018) .

Doctoral Capstone

The students complete the capstone during the final semester of the program in one or more of the eight identified focus areas per ACOTE. Several programs elect to embed the capstone project throughout their curriculum; often, faculty serve as the mentors for the project, and students identify a mentor to implement projects during the experience portion. In contrast to students in other entry-level OTD capstone programs, the students in this program complete projects and experiences in the same semester with identified mentors in the community ( DeIuliis & Bednarski, 2019 ). This approach supports the collaboration between community-based mentors and students to ensure that sustainable and site or practice-related projects are created. During the implementation phase, students remain engaged with the faculty and peers through online discussion posts during Weeks 2, 7, and 12. These serve as check-ins on progress and completed work. Also, the program has designed its own internal evaluation form embedded in a student’s capstone plan. Key components of evaluations include progress toward learning activities, projects, remaining work, sustainability of projects, mentor-perceived value of projects, and narrative summaries from both students and mentors. Evaluations of capstone are completed at midterm (Week 7) with the CC and the final (Week 14) with the student and mentor.

Students and mentors complete a midterm evaluation at Week 7. Students provide a summary of progress toward individualized objectives and projects and summarize completed activities and plans for the remaining seven weeks. Further, mentors can provide feedback and complete an evaluation to date at this time. The capstone plan has the embedded evaluative measure that allows mentors to indicate whether projects are achieved, in progress, or discontinued; in addition, the evaluation includes the mentors’ comments on the overall practicality and sustainability of projects. This midterm evaluation is uploaded to the online learning platform for the CC to review. The students and mentors also complete a midterm phone call and/or site visit.

During Week 14, students and mentors complete the final evaluation of the capstone. Specifically, students describe progress toward proposed learning activities and evidence and project deliverables. Mentors provide feedback regarding individual learning objectives and activities and evaluate whether the objectives were achieved, if evidence of a deliverable was provided, if the project or deliverable is sustainable, if the project is valuable to the setting, and if students have identified future projects and overall mentor feedback.

Practice-Scholar Culmination

Dissemination is achieved through the third capstone-related class and is driven by the practice-scholar model to allow for a demonstration of synthesis of skills learned throughout the program, wrapping up three exemplary components: capstone presentations and artifacts, practice-scholar apprentice presentations, and professional development presentations. Final evaluation of the capstone is completed by the CC during this dissemination phase and feedback is given through the designed rubrics.

Through this feature of the class, the practice-scholar model epitomizes the goal of cultivating highly respected OT practitioners who are also scholars with the ability and interest to establish knowledge translation and practice-based evidence projects, support research initiatives, and who can translate observed changes from interventions into outcome studies. A practice-scholar is not only a consumer of evidence but creates evidence in context. This class, occurring in the final semester, is a blend of online and on-campus assignments and activities. The online assignments include:

• resume writing and marketing self as a future occupational therapy practitioner, and
• professional development presentation preparation, in which students work in small groups to create a conference-style presentation with active learning components to be provided on campus to peers and community practitioners.

The final week of the semester the students are on campus to complete the following activities:

• provide an evaluation and reflection to the program related to the didactic portion of the curriculum, fieldwork rotations, and capstone experience;
• engage in several opportunities to practice and collaborate with peers, faculty, and mentors to finalize culminating presentations for a half day symposium;
• prepare for future employment: Students attend several training sessions that focus on the application process for the national certification examination and state licensure, in addition to understanding employment options and interviewing techniques;
• present during the final day to a symposium capstone presentations, professional development presentations, and practice-scholar projects to peers, faculty, university leadership, and community practitioners;
• present in a “Floor us in 4 Minutes” model, which allows the student to clearly and succulently summarize capstone work. This innovative approach to dissemination is designed to improve students’ communication skills as well as the capacity to present research, scholarship, and/or creative works effectively;
• present a 50-min small group professional development presentation composed of students with like interests. The team creates a conference-style presentation that focuses on a topic that was learned in the program and/or fieldwork. Each team is required to create a presentation that includes learning objectives, the evidence to support the material presented, and an active learning strategy for the attendees; and
• present an outcome of the research that was accomplished in the practice-scholar team. Outcomes may include a manuscript, poster presentation, or program developed.

Roles of Faculty, Capstone Coordinators, Students, and Mentors

Faculty members, other than the CC, may support the capstone experience in several ways. A student may select a faculty member to be the capstone mentor if doing so aligns with the student’s learning outcomes; however, our faculty serve as designated capstone mentors only in limited instances. One reason is that this role poses challenges to faculty if workload is not allocated to support the mentoring work. To address this issue, faculty who choose to serve as designated capstone mentors fold the mentoring time and work into scholarship or research allocated time. To date, there have been three faculty members who have served as capstone mentors and, when serving as a mentor, are required to complete all of the mentor roles and responsibilities as outlined in the program’s MOU. More frequently, when a faculty member’s area of expertise aligns with a student’s interest area, the faculty member will provide guidance on capstone ideas, identify potential mentors, assist in making mentor selection, and help the student develop the capstone plan.

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC)

The AFWC works closely with the CC on similar tasks, but these are two distinct roles in the department ( DeIuliis & Bednarski, 2019 ). Effective collaboration between the AFWC and the CC is crucial in identifying potential capstone sites and mentors, managing contracts, and ensuring that sitespecific requirements are known to both the AFWC and the CC.

Capstone Coordinator (CC)

The CC in the program is a full-time, 12-month, core faculty member who oversees and supports the capstone portion of the program to ensure compliance with ACOTE D standards ( ACOTE, 2018 ). Broadly, the minimum responsibilities of the coordinator are to provide a framework for students to develop, plan, implement, and disseminate capstone work ( DeIuliis & Bednarski, 2019 ; Jirikowic et al., 2015 ). A major challenge facing programs is how to structure the CC position to meet the needs of mentors and students, as well as faculty expectations. To that end, the CC has other responsibilities in the department, college, and university, including teaching non-capstone courses, providing service, and engaging in research. In contrast to other OTD program models, in which faculty serve as mentors or there are capstone committees, the program’s CC is solely responsible for oversight of each aspect of the capstone ( DeIuliis & Bednarski, 2019 ). The coordinator and students select and work collaboratively with mentors from the community to implement the capstone. The results of this intentional approach are a clear communication path for capstone contact for students, a primary point of contact for mentors, and a single point of contact to manage contracts, the memorandum of understanding (MOU), and capstone plans.

Capstone is a student-driven process in which the onus falls on the student to create an idea, search the literature, complete a needs assessment, and identify a mentor. Students struggle at times to convey capstone interests beyond general themes, such as an interest in stroke rehabilitation, and to understand how project-based work unfolds in a real-world setting. When students lack clarity, it is difficult for mentors to understand how to best support a capstone student. Assignments in the planning class, such as refining a student’s capstone idea in a capstone elevator speech, address this issue directly. At a minimum, students are required to complete the following activities:

• develop a personal definition and explanation of capstone for potential mentors;
• complete a capstone plan, which includes a plan for supervision and culminating project identification;
• develop an objective evaluative measure of achievement for capstone; and
• develop a timetable for capstone with week-by-week objectives.

At a minimum, students are responsible for the achieving the following objectives and milestones:

• success of the culminating project,
• meeting with the mentor on a routine basis to assess progress toward the capstone plan and culminating project,
• contacting the CC about concerns regarding progress that the mentor is not able to address,
• meeting with the CC and mentor to complete a midterm visit and program developed evaluation, and
• meeting with the mentor to complete final program developed evaluation of the capstone and culminating project.

Capstone Mentor

A mentor is defined by ACOTE (2018) as an individual with expertise consistent with the student’s area of focus. Mentoring is further defined as “the relationship between two people in which one person (the mentor) is dedicated to the personal and professional growth of the other (the mentee). A mentor has more experience and knowledge than the mentee” ( ACOTE, 2018 , p. 51). The mentor does not have to be an occupational therapist. The mentor identification and selection process begins in the fifth semester of the program during the capstone planning class. As illustrated in Figure 1 , there are nine identifiable steps in the program’s mentor selection process, several of which are imbedded as planning class assignments. Mentors appear to best serve students when there is a clear understanding of the differences between a Level II fieldwork rotation and the capstone experience. In addition, capstone mentors are most effective when the differences between mentoring and supervision are well understood. Most capstones are a blend of supervision and mentoring, and collaborations are successful when mentors and students clearly define expectations. Capstone mentors are responsible for the following activities, deliverables, and milestones:

• providing the CC with a resume, curriculum vitae, or bio sketch that provides evidence of the mentor’s expertise consistent with the student’s area of interest;
• reviewing and signing the MOU before the capstone begins;
• providing feedback on and final approval of the capstone plan;
• providing the student with the mentorship and resources required to fulfill the capstone responsibilities and achieve the highest educational goals;
• reaching out to the CC with any concerns or questions that cannot be resolved with the capstone student; and
• coming to an agreement with the student and the program as to proprietorship and/or authorship for capstone projects.

Flow Chart of Mentor Selection Process

The Capstone Component

To date, in four cohorts, 131 students in the OTD program have successfully completed capstones with 127 mentors, with two mentors having taken multiple students. Core to the program is the mission to serve the state population and support its workforce for OT. While students are required to complete Level I and Level II fieldwork rotations in the state, with a few exceptions, capstone can be completed outside the state or internationally. In keeping with the mission, many students are selecting capstone sites and mentors in the state (see Figure 3 ). In the inaugural cohort, 13 of the 23 (56%) mentor sites were cultivated from existing fieldwork contracts and relationships. In subsequent cohorts, 38 (29%) mentors have returned to mentor another student on new projects (see Figure 2 ). To date, 93 out of 127 (73%) were first-time mentors for the program’s capstone students (see Figure 3 ).

4-year Mentor Demographics

4-year Capstone Locations Summary

Nearly all of this program’s students (96%) select two or more focus areas for capstone projects, and 20% of students select at least four focus areas (see Figure 4 ). The most selected focus areas are clinical practice skills and program development. There appears to be emerging focus trends in capstone, with the most apparent surrounding clinical skill development and program development. Students are frequently drawn to clinicians who practice in specialty areas or are recognized for advanced level of practice, so it makes sense that clinical skill development would be a focus for students. Students most frequently collaborate with mentors on program development projects, with none choosing theory development to date (see Figure 4 ). This theme indicates that students and mentors are, in fact, collaborating on projects that meet a site need or clinical practice initiative.

Selected Capstone Focus Area Outcomes

Students typically take one of three paths toward mentor selection (see Figure 5 ). First, the mentor-focused path involves selecting the mentor based on shared interest or expertise. This approach can be student-driven but also offers the chance that mentors already have projects for students to join, so students do not necessarily generate the ideas. Second, the idea/project-focused path involves an outof-the-box or emerging practice area, perhaps something that students may or may not have a chance to do in the future. This is the most student-driven approach, as students approach potential mentors with ideas already in formation. Third, the location-focused path involves selecting the location site where students plan to live and work and then finding a mentor. This path narrows the students’ scope in terms of finding both a mentor and site open to taking a capstone student. This is emerging as the least studentdriven pathway, tending to be more mentor-directed in terms of project availability and clinical practice exposures.

Capstone Selection Pathways

Lessons Learned

Communication.

The capstone was initially entitled residency when the program first started to distinguish it from fieldwork and set it apart from other student experiences. However, this term has different meanings in medical models and health care settings, and in some cases, the term residency was prohibited because it is designated for medical students. After faculty discussion and feedback from community stakeholders and students, the department changed the name to doctoral experiential component (DEC) to align with the 2011 ACOTE standard terminology. In accordance with the most recent 2018 ACOTE standards, the term capstone is now used to ensure the experience and project are consistently represented in the profession. This term more closely aligns with the project nature of the clinical doctorate outcomes. The multiple name changes have been a barrier for the CC to overcome, as clarification is needed to update mentors and students on the overarching goals of capstone.

Close communication with the AFWC is essential to build mentors and sites for capstone. The AFWC is key in providing sites and potential mentors with site-specific examples of capstone opportunities. This is accomplished during all Level II fieldwork rotations, during which the AFWC completes 90% of midterm evaluations in person. Based on experiences over the past 4 years, it seems non-occupational therapy mentors and occupational therapists in nontraditional roles readily engage in mentoring capstone students more so than traditional occupational therapists. Examples of nonoccupational therapy mentors to date are child life specialist, director of pediatric hospice program, primary school teacher, recreation therapists, life coach, yoga instructor, volunteer program coordinator of non-profit organization, and director for youth foster congregate care homes. At times, it has been easier to recruit non-occupational therapists because these mentors do not necessarily have the constraints of productivity and clinical practice responsibilities, and there is not a need to differentiate between a capstone and fieldwork student.

The department chair, faculty, CC, and AFWC all work to communicate a single message and theme of capstone when collaborating or communicating with the program’s numerous stakeholders. Capstone mentors and project ideas can and do come from these relationships. For example, during an OT state association lunch, an occupational therapist identified a need to collect and analyze data on the evaluation process and discharge recommendation practice habits of the staff. The CC helped define the project question and research questions and connected a capstone student for the project. This resulted in policy and program changes in the mentor’s practice setting and created elevation of practice in discharge planning. Collaborating with existing mentors to get the word out on capstone has been well received at AOTA and state conferences. As a bonus, not only does this provide mentors to engage in scholarship through presentations, potential mentors hear from mentors who have been through the process and can relate best how capstone translates in clinical practice.

Social media platforms are an effective way to share capstone stories and projects. Students, mentors, and projects are routinely showcased on the program’s numerous social media platforms. Students create the narrative to be shared, which benefits the university, OT program, and mentors.

Each year, there is a period of developing and evolving expectations with each new cohort of OTD students and mentors ( Hansen et al., 2007 ). New mentors and students require time to explore capstone projects and collaborations to determine if capstone is a good fit for the mentor and student. Most capstones are a blend of supervision and mentoring, and collaborations are successful when mentors and students clearly define expectations, allocate time for clinical skills and projects, and discuss communication styles.

There currently are few resources available for academic programs and mentors to guide capstone curricular development or clinical site capstone programs. Mentors seeking this information have access to fieldwork resources and rely on adapting them to meet the needs of capstone students in the practice setting. Feedback from mentors and students indicates that the structure of a consistent capstone plan is preferred rather than every capstone plan being in a different format. Uniformity has helped with familiarizing mentors to the program and supports branding and expectations of student projects.

Mentor Preparation

A challenge facing students and programs is that people who excel in professional fields are not always master educators or mentors, and mentoring involves a complex and dynamic exchange between mentors and mentees ( Smith, 2007 ). However, capstone mentors, when knowledgeable about the expectations and components of capstone, can further personal professional development and achieve a higher level of mastery ( Stoffel et al., 2014 ). Mentor sites, when familiar with the expectations and potential for program development, may bolster recruitment and retention of staff and highlight new programs by engaging in capstone mentoring partnerships with students and academic programs. Occupational therapists are familiar with fieldwork because all occupational therapists go through the process. There is a plethora of fieldwork literature, frameworks, and supports for fieldwork educators to follow. There currently are few frameworks and resources for OT capstone mentors outside of academia. CCs need to provide capstone mentors with resources and education regarding the capstone for mentors to feel more confident in their responsibilities and understanding of the differences between fieldwork and capstone requirements.

The capstone experience is an important and vital element of entry-level OTD programs. It is an individualized component of entry-level OTD education to produce a culminating project ( Case-Smith et al., 2014 ). In this student-informed process, the onus is on students and mentors to develop programs and envision how projects are springboards for future practice, such as research, quality improvement projects, and staff development ( Fortune et al., 2012 ). AOTA’s Vision 2025 charges occupational therapists to increase capacity and collaboration ( AOTA, 2017 ). OT mentors can meet Vision 2025 by engaging in mentor partnerships with capstone students. Through curriculum design, academia can promote capstone partnerships with occupational therapists and non-occupational therapist mentors that offer the opportunity not only to engage in scholarship, but also to advance programs that are of importance to the student, mentor, community, and or facility. The future holds exciting opportunities among established and developing OTD programs to share structural elements of capstone curriculum and program outcomes, to clarify language used for descriptions, and to better engage mentors in capstone collaborations.

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects

Permanent uri for this collection, recent submissions.

• No Thumbnail Available Item Skills on Wheels Program Development: Supporting All Participants, Caregivers, and Siblings ( 2023-05-08 ) Heminger, Rachel ; Chase, Tony ; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences ; Chase, Tony Show more This project was focused on three important aspects, all of which surrounded improving the Skills on Wheels Program for this year and future years. These aspects included improving and promoting the social participation and self-efficacy of the participants, educating, and promoting social support for the caregivers, as well as creating a space for the siblings of the participants to learn, play, and promote community. The latter two topics were focused on program development. However, the first topic was the research portion of this capstone. The goal of this research was to improve the participants initiation in social engagement/participation. The data was collected by giving the caregivers of the participants pre and post surveys about their children’s social engagement. Results of the surveys showed there was an increase in all three variables that were compared. This supports the programs that were implemented and their focus on improving social participation within the participants of the program. There were some implications for this research which includes number of caregivers surveyed, attendance of caregivers on both survey days, as well as the duration of time between each survey. For future sessions, it is suggested that these areas continue to improve, and that social engagement continues to be promoted throughout the program. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item Knowledge, Confidence, & Competence: Utilizing Personal Narrative as a Pedagogical Tool for Educating Professional Healthcare Students about Local Lead Involvement ( 2023-04-28 ) Belkiewitz, Johnna ; Wasmuth, Sally ; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences ; Wasmuth, Sally Show more Community-based occupational therapy provides a unique opportunity for practitioners to listen and respond to the needs that are most pressing in local communities. In Marion County, Indiana, lead exposure and resulting negative health consequences should be of major concern to local residents and healthcare providers, as many homes are older and at-risk for lead-based paint and corroded water piping and lead soil contents are high due to historical locations of lead-based product factories (United States Commission on Civil Rights, 2020); however, few local professional healthcare educational programs focus on equipping students with lead toxicity knowledge regarding symptomology, treatment, and legislative mandates for testing schedules, putting community members at high-risk for continued exposure. This 14-week doctoral capstone utilized community-based occupational therapy methods to address these issues, creating and disseminating a videoed narrative-based theater pedagogical tool to educate professional healthcare students and advocating for the profession’s unique role in addressing lead exposure. The intervention consisted of a 35-minute video, produced from community interviews and utilizing narrative medicine techniques, and a virtual lead toolkit for students to implement in future client care. Mixed methods data analysis found significant learning outcomes of occupational therapy students who engaged in the intervention. The products of this doctoral capstone are being broadly shared through professional publication and widespread community distribution of a modified version of the intervention. Show more
• No Thumbnail Available Item Pediatric Emotional Regulation and Parental Wellness: An Educational Program at a Child Development Center ( 2023-05-01 ) Reed, Morgan ; Van Antwerp, Leah ; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences ; White, Debra Show more Pediatric emotional regulation strategies can facilitate increased emotional development, positive interpersonal relationships, and increased self-efficacy. Caregiver wellness can have a direct impact on a child’s emotional, social, and psychological development. Additionally, staff members at an early childhood development center identified a need to improve students’ emotional regulation abilities and address caregiver wellness through capstone program development. The purpose of this capstone project was to meet the identified needs through the: implementation of a pediatric yoga program and outlining of a caregiver wellness workshop. At the conclusion of the capstone, teachers were satisfied with the yoga implementation, believed it helped promote emotional regulation development in the students, and stated they had a high likelihood of continuing yoga sessions after the capstone. The capstone student identified common caregiver stressors, which in turn highlighted client-centered topics to be considered for a caregiver wellness workshop. Show more

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Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Capstone presentations from 2024 2024.

Implementing the COPM to Create Occupation-Based Interventions in Outpatient Adult Rehabilitation , Kelcee A. Bacon

Say Neigh to Poor Health: Exploring the Impact of Equine Assisted Services on Children's Health , Courtney S. Barrus

Your Mind Matters: Promoting the Wellbeing of the Parent-Child Dyad through Family Education , McKayla A. Becker

Filling the Gap: Educating Caregivers and Patients Post Stroke in an Acute Care Setting , Gabrielle A. Blecke

Play, Splash, Ride: A Multidimensional Approach to Occupational Therapy Intervention for Sensory Processing Difficulties , Britney A. Bradwisch

Occupational Therapy’s Role as a Member of an Interdisciplinary Feeding Team for Children with Sensory Processing Differences , Emily G. Bruinsma

Sensory Processing Difficulties in Children Born Preterm and The Needs of Their Families , Shelby J. Buie

Enhancing Resident Engagement: Optimizing Meaningful Occupations in Skilled Nursing Facilities , Drew J. Couch

Promoting Life Skills Through an Occupation-based Program for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System , Maggie L. DeJong

Empowering Pregnancy and Postpartum: Supporting Motherhood Through Occupational Therapy Education , Alison Drexler

A Community Re-Integration Mental Health Occupational Therapy Program for Veterans at the Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Hospital , Holly M. Forrester

Promoting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Development for Children in a School Setting using Targeted Occupational Therapy Intervention , Mykenzie N. Hall

Exploring Occupational Therapy’s Role in Childcare Settings , MaKayla Hamling

Facilitating Community Integration Following Inpatient Rehabilitation: The Importance of Caregivers , Alysa N. Jensen

Occupational Therapy Services in Pediatric Mental Health , Hallie Jerome

Incorporating Music into Pediatric Occupational Therapy , Abby Kays

An Eye-Opening Capstone: A New Perspective on Occupation-Based Treatments for Neurologic-Based Visual Deficits , Katlyn J. Knakmuhs

S.M.A.R.T. Program Implementation to Promote Engagement and Participation in a School Setting , Emily Mickelson

Promoting Wakefulness to Increase Occupational Engagement in Military Service Members Experiencing Insomnia Following mTBI , Leah N. Myers

A Program Based on Meaningful Occupations to Improve Perceived Health and Well-being for People Experiencing Homelessness , Annika Overgaard

Occupational Therapy Intervention to Promote Recovery of Individuals Impacted by Human Trafficking and Service Provider Well-being , Carlyn J. Paxton

Quality of Life and Well-Being of Breast Cancer Patients While Following a Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Surveillance Protocol , Madisen L. Prasek

The Importance of Preferred Meaningful Occupations for Children with Medically Complex Conditions , Kaylee S. Schmit

A Peer-Mediated Art Program for Secondary Education Students: An Occupation Based Approach , Kjersten B. Sievers

Nature-Based Occupational Therapy as an Innovative Approach in Facilitating Children’s Development , Surekchha Siwakoti

Animal-Assisted Therapy in an Outpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy Setting , Peyton N. Stolle

Restoring Meaning through Leisure: Exploring the Benefits of Leisure-Focused Occupational Therapy for Individuals with Neurological Diagnoses , Elizabeth Rose Stoutland

Incorporating Occupation-Based Activities into Treatment for Adolescents with Substance Use Disorders to Increase Self-Efficacy , Brea E. Westberg

Daring to be Different: Promotion of Child Development and Family Wellness in a Cash-Based Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice , Kylee Withrow

Healing Horses: An Occupational Therapy Approach in an Equine Environment , Ashlyn Renee Yoder

Capstone Presentations from 2023 2023

Physical and Psychological Impacts of Burn Injuries on the Pediatric Population and Their Families: An Occupational Therapy Perspective , Sadie E. Anderson

Mobile Munchies: An Occupation-Based Transitional Skills Program for Adolescents , Reilly S. Dujmovic

Welcoming Wellness: A Health Promotion and Chronic Condition Prevention Program Rooted in the Foundations of Occupational Therapy , Karlee G. Duncan

Occupational Therapy's Role in Helping Individuals in the US Justice System Transition from Incarceration to the Community , Kathryn E. Foster

The Relevance of Sensory-based Intervention in Improving Occupational Performance in Pediatrics , Jasmine M. Fritzemeier

Restoring Identity for the Homeless: Exploring Occupational Therapy Services for Unhoused Populations , Christina E. Geistfeld

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Meeting Mental Health Needs of College Students in the South Dakota Regental University System , Molly J. Graesser

Occupational Therapy in Family Education: Fourth Trimester Wellness to Kindergarten Readiness , Gabrielle Madeline Hagen

Occupational Therapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) & Implementation of the Test of Infant Motor Performance , Juliana C. Keane

Occupation-Based Sexual Health Education for Adolescents with Disabilities , Elizabeth J. Klocke

Promoting Social-Emotional Development in Preschool Children using a Trauma Informed, Sensory Integrative Approach , Sarah M. McGoldrick

An Occupational Therapy Program for Improving Caregiving Performance and Satisfaction with Performance among Caregivers for Individuals with Neurological Conditions , Andrea Marie Molus

Sensory Integration: Improving Participation, Behavior, and Learning in Individuals with Sensory Processing Disorder , Brooklyn K. Osborne

Treating Cognition Through Occupational Performance in Individuals With Neurological Disorders in Home Health , Alcina J. Park

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pediatric Aquatic-Based and Land-Based Therapy , Danielle E. Scheck

Improving Residents' Access to Occupational Therapy Services in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Screen for Declining Performance in Activities of Daily Living , Amy N. Scheidecker

Kids and Canines: PAWSitively Impacting Occupational Therapy Outcomes , Jessica M. Simon

Promoting Participation and Engagement in Meaningful Activities Amongst Residents at a Long-Term Care Facility , Tanner Steineke

Promoting Successful Discharges From Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Units Among Older Adults , Melissa A. Tweet

Relaxation as an Intervention for Military Service Members Experiencing ANS Dysregulation Following mTBI , Tori Julianne VanVelzen

Addressing the Needs of Parkinson’s Disease Care Partners , Jenna Wall

Promoting Sleep Hygiene for Individuals Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease: Occupational Therapy’s Distinct Role , Hunter O. Wookey

Capstone Presentations from 2022 2022

The Typical Toddler: Diet and Approaches to Picky Eating , Carissa Adams

Understanding Advocacy for Promoting Occupational Engagement among Individuals with Disabilities , Rebecca L. Benson

Enhancing Life: Promoting Meaningful Interventions to Support Individuals with Dementia , Keelan N. Blasius

An Occupation-Based Approach to Empower Individuals Experiencing Homelessness , Sydney L. Bodensteiner

Promoting Mental Health of Middle and High School Students Using Universal and Targeted Strategies , Alyssa E. Brown

Occupational Therapy in Oncology Care: Methods for Treating Cancer-Related Fatigue , Marissa Emberly Cardenas

Expanding the Role of Occupational Therapy for Oncology Patients: A Focus on Tumor- and Blood-Based Cancers , Erika N. Clark

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Sensory Play Education in Daycare Setting , Bianca K. Claussen

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Music Student Health , Katie Ericsson

Promoting Occupational Therapy Involvement in End-of-Life Care Through Advocacy and Education , Macey Genzlinger

Mending the Mind: Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy for Executive Dysfunction Post-Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury , Shannon E. Hegland

Meeting Mental Health Needs of Parents Caring for Children with Disabilities by Facilitating Occupational Balance and Well-being , Emily J. Heumiller

Exploring Occupational Therapy in Perinatal Care: Promoting the Mental Health and Well-Being of Women During and After an Unplanned Pregnancy , Sydney M. Korn

Hula as a Protective Factor that Improves the Quality of Life to Those Who Dance in a Hula , Pepper T. Lum-Lung

Impact of Stigma on Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Implications for School-Based Occupational Therapists , Sidney M. McReynolds Mrs.

Investigating the Impact of Parkinson’s Disease on IADL Performance, Emphasizing the Need for Earlier Diagnosis and the Value of Timelier Occupational Therapy Intervention , Brittney N. Moser

Occupational Therapy and Continuous Care: Pediatric Rehabilitation for Children with Medically Complex Conditions and Severe Burns , Elise M. Mueller

Supporting the Role of Professional Caregivers in Long-Term Care: Education, Training, and Caregiver Mental Health interventions that Promote Dementia Care Excellence , Katelyn A. Nelson

Application of Ergonomics in Healthcare through Environmental Adaptations , Johnny Nguyen

OT Entrepreneurship: Perceived Challenges & Resources , Gunnar Daniel Olson

Occupational Therapy’s Role in The Holistic Management of Chronic Pain , Megan K. Rodahl

The Aquatic Environment as a Tool for Facilitating Sensory Processing and Regulation , Christian Schneider

Promoting Engagement in a School Setting , Jordyn M. Sippel

Promoting Inclusive Play and Social Skills Development in Sioux Falls and Harrisburg, South Dakota , Madison C. Snelling

Incorporating Trust-Based Relational Intervention in Occupational Therapy to Address Mental Health Needs of Elementary Students , Maci K. Stouffer

Occupational Therapy Education to Support Families Affected by Huntington's Disease and Their Care Team , Morgan R. Weber

Rehabilitation Through Reintegration: Supporting Survivors of Stroke , Alexander T. Wiemann

Capstone Presentations from 2021 2021

Occupational Therapists’ Role in Supporting Students with Reading Disabilities , Tania Alexander

Advanced Practice in Aquatic Therapy: Exploring Occupational Therapy in an Aquatic Environment , Brenna K. Barash

An Occupation-Based Program for Fostering Healthy Life Skills among Youth in the Juvenile System , Shelby E. Beckman

Virtual Reality and Its Impact as an Intervention on Meaningful Occupations for Individuals with Mental Health Diagnoses , Alison S. Benson

Bathrooms, Incontinence, and Withholding OH MY: Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pediatric Constipation Management , Erin J. Buse

Complex Conditions of the Hand: A Resource for Rural Therapists , Jay D. Cooper

Exploring Dance-Based Occupational Therapy Interventions Among Children and Adolescents with Disabilities and Special Needs , Amy J. Davis

Exploring Occupational Therapy with Athletes Using Principles of Lifestyle Redesign® to Support Academic Success and Life Balance. , Michaela M. Dendinger

An Occupational Therapy Program to Enhance Academic Performance Among Children in the School System Using American Sign Language , Amy N. Dragoo

Creating Inclusive Classroom Environments Through Education and Coaching , Leah Hagen

Promoting Social and Emotional Development in Preschool Children through TBRI® Nurture Group© , Sydney P. Harris

Musculoskeletal Conditions and Performance Anxiety Among Musicians: An Occupational Therapy Approach , Vitoria Heier

Improving Quality of Life among Individuals with Neurocognitive Disorders using Occupational Therapy and a Sensory Integration Approach , MaKenzie K. Johnson

Supporting Caregivers and Survivors of Stroke in their Journey through Stroke Recovery via Telehealth Services , Keri Kamphoff

Developing Skills Utilizing Assistive Technology in Occupational Therapy: From Entry-Level to Tech-Savvy , Konner W. Kielman

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hand Therapy and Application of the Occupational Adaptation Model , Noah R. Kottke

Complementary and Integrative Approaches for Occupational Therapy Practitioners: An Educational Experience , Wanda Kay Lauer

Advocating for the Field of Occupational Therapy in a Childcare Setting , Nicole K. Leinhart

Empowering Occupational Therapy Practitioners through Virtual Education on Seating and Wheeled Mobility , Jane A. Loscheider

Supporting the Holistic Treatment of Adults with Upper Extremity Injuries: Bridging the Gap Between the Clinic and Classroom , Stephanie W. McClung

Refocusing on Fine Motor: Increasing Accessibility to Fine Motor Resources in a Virtual World , Robin R. McLey

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Student-driven capstones

Student Driven Doctoral Capstone Projects

Marquette University Department of Occupational Therapy prides itself on the professionalism and dedication shown by our graduates throughout their doctoral capstone projects. Student driven projects and experiences are collaboratively designed with the support of faculty and mentors to not only gain an in-depth knowledge of a practice area but also give back to their community sites. Students have partnered with community sites to meet their needs through projects focused on program development, education, advocacy, clinical practice skills, leadership, and research in a variety of practice areas.

Class of 2023 :

Pediatric Topics: 

• The Qualitative Experiences of Children with ASD Participating in AquOTic Program
• Educating Early Childhood Educators: Impacts of Trauma and the Use of Sensorimotor Activities to Target Challenging Behaviors
• Hippotherapy: An Advocacy Campaign
• Effects of Visual Perception on the Performance Activities of Daily Living in Typically Developing Children
• Creating Educational Handouts for Caregivers on Sensory Processing Challenges
• Increasing the Use of Developmentally Appropriate Fine Motor Activities in Preschool Classrooms Through Teacher Education
• Sensory Integration Principles for Speech Language Pathology Students
• Managing Disruptive Behaviors of Autism Spectrum Disorder through Sensory Supports: An Educational Resource
• Education for Summer Camp Counselors on the correlation Between Sensory Dysregulation and Challenging Behaviors
• Community Reintegration Program to Support Incarcerated Adolescents in the Juvenile Justice System
• Sensory Regulation in Typically Developing Children at the Dental Clinic: An Education Program for Dental Students

Adult Topics:

• Functional Neurological Disorder: The Role of Occupational Therapy
• Group Task Specific Training for Stroke Survivors
• Supporting Autistic College Students: Developing Educational Modules for University Faculty and Student Support Program Peer Mentors and Coaches
• Incorporating Occupational Therapy into Interdisciplinary Concussion Clinics
• Development of a Low Vision Protocol for Occupational Therapists in Acute Rehabilitation
• The Development of an Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program: Physical Rehabilitation of Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries
• Promoting Independent Living Skills in Autistic College Students
• Physical Rehabilitation Fellowship: Emphasis on Work Rehabilitation at an Outpatient Rehabilitation Center
• Improving Caregiver Mental Health Outcomes Through a Community Based Program
• Testing Placebo Effects of TES+ Motor Training for Improving Upper Extremity Function
• The Development and Implementation of a Fitness Center Accessibility Program for Manual Wheelchair Users
• Stepping into Art and Out of Stress
• Creating Accessible Adaptive Sports Open Gym Programs to Maximize Health and Well-Being in Individuals with Disabilities through Participation in Meaningful Activities: A Resource Manuals
• Return to Occupation: Occupational Reintegration for the LGBTQ+ Homeless Population
• Advocacy of Occupational Therapy’s Role in Pain Management Through Formalization of Pain Content into an OTD Program Curriculum

Occupational Therapy

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Department of Occupational Therapy College of Health Professions

Capstone experiences & projects.

Doctorate Capstone

Students pursuing a doctoral degree (OTD) are required to complete one fourteen-week Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) following level II FW. The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone is for students to demonstrate their ability to apply theory to practice and to demonstrate the synthesis of advanced knowledge.  The goal of the DCE is to develop occupational therapists with in-depth knowledge and skills in a focused area of study and to acquiring deeper practice-scholar competencies as reflected in the program’s curriculum design. The DCE directly connects clinical practice with scholarship via the implementation of a doctoral capstone project during the DCE.

An integral part of the program curriculum, the Doctoral Capstone (DC) provides in-depth exposure to one or more of the following areas:

• administration and leadership,
• program development,
• clinical practice skills,
• research skills,
• theory development.

Given the curriculum philosophy and design, each Capstone project will intersect with the didactic portions of the curriculum, including the course series on the (themes):

• Continuum of health care (public health/community-based)
• Inquiry and research on occupation and health (research)
• Foundation of occupation (administration, education, theory development) and human conditions (clinical skills & treatment)
• Influence of culture on care and practice (culture)
• Professionalism, interprofessionalism, and leadership (advocacy & services)

Through the interaction of the curriculum’s themes and service region, students can implement a scholarly project that will allow them to experience the role of being culturally fluent, reflective, and transformative leaders. 

Student Capstone Project & Experiences

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• 2020 Capstones

2020 Occupational Therapy Capstones

Student presentations, katie adams, darcy baker, jared baker, jessica baldridge, siera becker, taryn betka, alicia borcic, catherine boyle, jared breyer, morgan britton, marit brown, brianne bulleigh, laura campion, kathryn carano, emily carothers, inna kathreen chang, danielle chirhart, brianna gibbs cooper, madeline coughlin, taylor dalbey, sydney dickerson, charles e eberle, kaitlyn ellerman, paige engbers, olivia fair-lafferty, audra feehan, emily garcia, sarah gerken, ellie goerdt, margaret griffin, chase gronowski, anika hansen, whitney hewitt, jennifer hickey, taylor hiebert, marti m. hitz, macy hoskins, michelle huesca, morgan huffman, angela ingram, daniel l. jackson, rebecca jensen, andrea juarez, jessica junio, elliana kastner, nicholas kellerhals, theresa kennelly, hilary kircher, taylor knecht, shaun kramer, coleman lay, emily ludwig, krizelle magdirila, molly marin, coleen mccarthy, lauren mcclung, macall mcfall, chris mcguff, kellie mckean, brianne mcmahon, evon mikulecky, audra miller, jennifer mitton, julia neppel, katherine north, sydney oehrke, katherine olmedo, claire passmore, mackenzie payne, jenna pelchat, katie petersen, erika petty, amy piekosz, brooke rasmussen, jimmy roberts, jayme rossow, shelby rozenboom, dezarai diana ramirez ryan, taylor sadler, caroline schmidt, hannah rose wysopal schramm, rachel schroeter, christina-marie sleight, kaitlyn stangl, brianna starr, michaela stevenson, peyton stork, carissa stratton, michael thomason, mackenzie twaddell, nicole vasquez, lena-maria volkers, emily walker, carina watson, taylor l. wienkes, madeline wille, jaclyn b. williams, marlise williams, nicole willse, jocelyn young-hyman.

Anna K. Domina, OTD, OTR/L Assistant Professor [email protected] 402.280.3407

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Occupational Therapy Students Showcase a Multitude of Capstone Projects

Projects emphasize patient care, increased quality of life

• IL - Downers Grove

Ashley Lane (CHS-Downers Grove OT ’24) describes her project Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Designed Research Study Exploring Rehabilitating Practitioners’ Knowledge and Perception About Climate Change and the Impacts on Practice. Ashley also won Outstanding Poster Presentation at the Kenneth A. Suarez Research Day.   

Doctoral students graduating from the Occupational Therapy (OT) program in the College of Health Sciences, Downers Grove (CHS-DG) at Midwestern University presented their final capstone projects in an event held on campus. Cardinal Hall was lined with 46 Capstone posters and students eager to describe their projects as their days in academia drew to a close. 

Several students from the Occupational Therapy Class of 2024 were excited to share information about their projects:

For Bekah Harnish, her project involved a month of time abroad in Denmark to study the 3D printing process there and apply the methods here. As part of her project, Bekah collaborated with the Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley agency on possibilities for different clients. Her poster highlighted cases where 3D printing assisted patients with devices with 3D-printed devices that were specifically tailored to the patients’ requirements, such as attachments to assist a patient turn pages of a book without assistance, use nasal spray without help, pull up an arm rest in a wheelchair, and a clip to put their shoes on. “I think learning 3D printing is very manageable. I would love to do this as a consultant for different clients and increase their quality of life,” Bekah said. 

Courtney Robinson examined ways occupational therapists could assist postpartum Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) women as they figure out their routines, daily activities, and roles following birth. She worked with Chicago Birthworks Collective, a maternal wellness company dedicated to assisting BIPOC women through a variety of services including wellness support, prenatal and postnatal care, and lactation support. “I would like people to know this is a vulnerable area that needs more attention. They are facing disparities,” Courtney shared.

Brant Sanderfoot developed a program to support high school athletes who may be at risk of developing a negative body image along with disordered eating. Brant spent his doctoral capstone at Kaukauna High School in Kaukauna, WI, where he conducted group sessions about nutrition science and mental wellness. “The current stigma is that athletes don’t need mental health support,” Brant said. He added that the athletes usually have a circle of friends and are physically fit, and the misconception is that the athletes have everything going for them compared to other student groups and are overlooked. Brant showed the students how to balance their schedules, keep a positive outlook, manage stress, and advised them about positive body image and healthy eating.

Elizabeth Arriola focused on creating resources in Spanish and English for families of children receiving early intervention services. Elizabeth said that at meetings, parents and guardians could hear technical jargon and not fully comprehend what is going on, and often the translation they receive is word for word and the true meaning is lost. Parents and guardians could be uncomfortable asking questions or sharing their opinions.  “It’s extremely important to keep the parents comfortable in expressing themselves and bring invested in the overall process.”

Lauren Hogue created video resources for parents with children who have pediatric feeding disorders. She received positive feedback from families who utilized the videos. “It’s really important when dealing with children to maximize mealtime peace,” Lauren said.

Megan Grabowski worked with Educare West DuPage, an early childhood school, on sensory education and discussed resources and methods for children with difficulties processing sensory information. “All children have different ways to learn for sensory information,” Megan said. As an example, she stated that in the past, children who moved a lot may have been erroneously termed as misbehaving, but now it is understood that those children require more input to regulate themselves. 

Kirsten Antle utilized the caregiver coaching model for early intervention. Kirsten shared, “Coaching has been known as a best practice early intervention. My project is aimed to help therapists use more coaching.” Kirsten elaborated further on how the caregiver can assist. “Instead of me telling the parent or guardian what to do, we brainstorm together,” she said. Subsequently, Kirsten would ask the parent or guardian to carry out the discussed ideas and ask the parents reflective questions about what worked and what did not. Kirsten reflected, “I would like people to know that evidence shows that the caregiver community model is effective.”

Jack Wendelberger-Dyer worked with Riverwalk Recreational Services in Naperville on a program development project aimed at participation and social interaction for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “The biggest takeaway from this experience was everything I learned while working with this population.” Jack stated he also spent time learning more about the process of marketing the program.

Capstone projects offer Occupational Therapy students the chance to expand upon their classroom learning and develop programs for the community to increase the quality of life for a variety of people. During the doctoral capstone process, students have the opportunity to obtain in-depth knowledge of a subject area and practice scholarship, which gives students more experience upon beginning their careers. As the students begin the next phase of their careers, they will take along the knowledge they gained during their capstone experience and their education at Midwestern University. 

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Occupational Therapy OT

| 3 June 2021

OTD Students Work with Teens for Their Capstone Projects

Dr. Elizabeth Varela (center), OTD ’21, with the teens she worked with (faces obscured for privacy reasons) and Parks Youth Ranch staff members Kishawn McClain and Lotanna Nneji

“I love these girls—they all have my heart,” says Madison (“Maddie”) Lovern, OTD, a recent graduate of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program on USAHS’ Austin, Texas, campus. She conducted the hands-on portion of her capstone project at a facility that fosters pregnant and parenting teens, most of whom are victims of abuse or sex trafficking. Dr. Lovern is one of several Austin OTD students who have recently worked with teens in local shelters for their capstone projects , under the guidance of doctoral coordinator Angela Blackwell, PhD, OTR .

When Dr. Lovern first arrived at SJRC (formerly St. Jude’s Ranch for Children) in January 2021, the teen moms were not exactly thrilled. “They said, right in front of me, ‘Who’s this new girl in this house? I can’t wait for three months to be over!’ But by the end, we were close, and they cried when I left. We had gained a level of trust and respect.”

SJRC’s campus in New Braunfels, Texas, keeps mothers and babies together, with the vision that they will be empowered to grow up into happy, productive, and caring adults. In early 2020, then-OTD student Cassidy Gravelle conducted a needs assessment of the facility, exploring how occupational therapy could help teens in this setting. One of the needs Dr. Gravelle identified was enhancing SJRC’s brand-new program in teaching parenting skills. She later served as a mentor for Dr. Lovern, who took the project further, working with ten girls ages 14 to 18.

Teaching Parenting Skills to Teen Moms

To conduct therapeutic work with its young residents, SJRC trains staff on using Trust-Based Relational Intervention ® (TBRI®) techniques. The TBRI model consists of “Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors.” [1]

Dr. Madison Lovern, OTD ’21

“These girls have had a lot of trauma and are not always approachable,” Dr. Lovern says. “Sometimes, if you correct them, they fight back. But TBRI teaches them healthy relationship and communication skills.” She adapted the TBRI tools to be more relatable and interactive for the teens so they could use it with their children and each other. For example, they role-played scenarios for how to respond to staff members with respect versus without respect, using appropriate tone of voice, body language, and gestures. They also practiced how to handle a child’s temper tantrum using eye contact and soft touch rather than yelling and forceful touch.

“The moms took to it well,” Dr. Lovern says. “They even came up with their own scenarios to role-play. I did see some behaviors change, but there’s still room for growth. One girl said, ‘My mom yelled at me—why shouldn’t I yell at my kid?’”

To practice the occupation of parenting and increase the bond between parent and child, Dr. Lovern had the moms make origami fish, then read Dr. Seuss’ One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish to their child, using the origami fish as props. “These are teens—they’re on their phones all the time,” she says. “They want to set their kid up in front of a movie and walk away. But activities like this show them the power of play.”

One challenge Dr. Lovern faced was how to build rapport with the girls, while maintaining healthy boundaries, during her trimester at SJRC. Some of the girls would confide in her as a peer, using adult language. “They had to grow up really fast,” she says. “I have to remind myself that they are 14 and I’m an occupational therapist.” Dr. Blackwell told her that when the girls ask for advice, “It’s okay not to have an answer. Just make eye contact and listen.”

At the end of the trimester, Dr. Lovern gave a presentation to SJRC’s CEO and program directors, whom she describes as “very enthusiastic. They are seeing the value of OT in this setting.” Staff member Roxy Hernandez, who served as an informal mentor, recently changed her position to continue Dr. Lovern’s parenting program.

Practicing Home Establishment

Now, during the Summer 2021 trimester, Dr. Lovern is mentoring OTD student Clare Rogers, who is focusing on the occupation of home establishment and management with the teen moms. “I’m loving the mentorship part of it,” Dr. Lovern says. “I’m excited that Clare is coming right after me to provide continuity.”

Clare Rogers, current OTD student

“Maddie has been a huge help, sharing her experience and giving me advice and ideas,” Rogers says. She also found Dr. Gravelle’s initial site assessment helpful, identifying which SJRC programs could be strengthened from an OT perspective.

Rogers explains why she chose to focus on home establishment. “When kids age out of the foster care system, they don’t know where to go or how to get an apartment,” she says. “Teens with children are even more at risk for returning to the abusive home or situation.” She says Texas state programs offer low-income housing but don’t provide support with the application process—and certainly don’t teach people the social skills they need to get and maintain a home.

Rogers is in her seventh trimester, which is devoted to writing the capstone proposal. Next trimester, she plans to work on-site with the moms, using TBRI techniques to build trust. Her proposal includes teaching the moms how to conduct an online housing search, get transportation to the facility, and dress professionally. Rogers is also creating activities around budgeting, prioritizing expenses, and managing bills. Roommates will be another topic: How to set boundaries to feel safe, maintain a healthy roommate relationship, and communicate the need for space.

“I feel so excited to be able to offer these girls something beneficial,” Rogers says. “I want to be that person who gave them something, listened to them, showed some love, had an impact.”

Working with Teens in an Emergency Shelter

SJRC isn’t the only facility where USAHS Austin students are working with teens. Nikki Nguyen, OTD ’20, and Elizabeth Valera, OTD ’21, conducted their capstone projects at Parks Youth Ranch , an emergency shelter in Richmond, Texas. At the 24-bed facility, abused and neglected boys and girls ages 7 to 17 benefit from counseling and the therapeutic effects of nature. Stays are typically 90 days until the young person is taken into foster care, adopted, or moved to a different facility.

Dr. Nikki Nguyen, OTD ’20

“Many of the kids come from households with domestic violence,” Dr. Nguyen says. “They have slipped academically and have aggressive behaviors; some have been in juvenile detention. We want to acknowledge the childhood trauma so they can understand themselves better and navigate the world better.”

To that end, Dr. Nguyen created a program to teach the kids that “it’s okay to be angry and sad, but they need to learn how to handle their feelings.” Her program combined the Empowerment principle of TBRI with two OT systems that help with emotional modulation: the Alert Program ® and the Zones of Regulation ®.

The Zones of Regulation system organizes emotions into four colors. Red is angry or afraid; yellow is stressed but in control; green is ready and calm; blue is sad, bored, or tired. Dr. Nguyen created activities for youth and staff to name their emotions according to the zones, along with related breathing and physical exercises to bring them back to green. She gathered her treatment ideas into a manual about youth self-regulation and gave a presentation about it to staff, who “really appreciated the program,” she says.

She says Dr. Blackwell gave her valuable insights and advice. “She was a great mentor and support system. I don’t know if I could have done this without her.”

Dr. Nguyen has taken a professional interest in the mental health of adolescents in part for personal reasons. “Growing up, I had a lot of emotions that I didn’t understand,” she says. “I remember feeling sad and not knowing why.” During the pediatric rotation of her clinical fieldwork, “I learned more about myself. I knew I could translate that insight into helping teens learn more about themselves.”

She says that in casual conversation, some kids would volunteer information about their lives and the circumstances that brought them to the shelter. She learned to let them lead the conversations. She worked on-site at the facility until two students tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, Dr. Nguyen tested negative, but she had to work with the students online for the rest of the trimester and was unable to implement the program to the extent she had planned.

Getting Back to Green

After Dr. Nguyen graduated, Elizabeth Valera, OTD ’21, began working onsite at Parks Youth Ranch, which had reopened to visitors. Dr. Valera created a different but related program focusing on the Zones of Regulation®. She had the kids play mud volleyball, giant Twister, relay races, and more, incorporating the four zone colors. “At first, the kids had attitude,” she says. “But over time, they really enjoyed it.”

Dr. Varela with teens at Parks Youth Ranch

Every day, kids and staff would check in about which zone they were in. “Some kids would be vulnerable and admit they were in yellow. I would say, ‘Here are tools to get back to green.’”

She says that in general, the boys she worked with were less vocal than the girls about naming their emotions. However, one 13-year-old boy, who was responsible for his younger siblings, wrote about how his removal from the family was tearing it apart. She describes another boy as “sweet and respectful but a fighter: He punched a tall boy. But he would check in with me, and he suggested taking a walk together on a day when I was stressed.”

The girls were typically more communicative, asking to speak with her privately about their conflicts with peers, caseworkers, and family members. Dr. Valera suggested to one girl that she write what she was going through on a rock and throw it into the river. She observed that girls who came to her privately were more likely to change their behavior and not fight others.

“I’m grateful for the kids who trusted me and took my advice,” Dr. Valera says. “I valued opportunities to relate to them, to share my story; to say, ‘I’ve been through something like you.’ I almost want to cry every single time.”

Dr. Lovern echoes this sentiment about her capstone project. “I’m thankful I did this—it was a wonderful experience.”

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers hands-on Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degrees. Join a collaborative cohort of peers who learn under the mentorship of expert faculty-practitioners. Practice with mock patients in our state-of-the-art simulation centers and learn anatomy with our high-tech tools. Prepare for clinical practice with patients across the lifespan, as well as advanced roles in research, practice leadership, and policymaking. Residential (online coursework + in-person labs on weekdays) and Flex (online coursework + in-person labs on weekends) formats are available.

[1] Karen Purvis Institute of Child Development, “Trust-Based Relational Intervention®”: https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/#sthash.kVtb4NGb.DAuA3SvB.dpbs

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Home > Communities > School of Medicine & Health Sciences > OT > Occupational Therapy Capstones

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Capstones from 2023 2023.

DEVELOPMENT OF WELLNESS AND NUTRITION THROUGH THE USE OF GARDENING , Josie Anhorn

DISABILITY AWARENESS TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY FOR CHILDREN IN THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING , Abby Bauman

INCREASING PARENT CONFIDENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE NICU: AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATIONAL GUIDE , Megan D. Berginski

THE HOW TO’S FOR ENGAGING WITH MEDICALLY COMPLEX CHILDREN: A RESOURCE GUIDE , Allyson Bourque

LET’S GROOVE: A DANCE PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES , Michayla Burckhard

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PROMOTING SLEEP FOR PEOPLE EMERGING FROM HOMELESSNESS: A GOOD NIGHT’S REST IN YOUR NEST SLEEP TOOLKIT , Anna Frances Burggraf

EXPLORING NATURE-BASED AND ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPIES AS A THERAPEUTIC MODALITY , Rachel Cheatley

LIFE SKILLS TRAINING RESOURCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM , Stephanie Coauette

THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM: IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES , Kathryn Elizabeth College

SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH COMPLEX HEALTH NEEDS , Anne Louise Domanus

Addressing Adherence to Home Exercise Programs in a Hand Therapy Setting , Austin B. Ellis

BEST PRACTICE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS FOR ADDRESSING TRAUMA AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A PRACTITIONER GUIDE , Madison Kay Ertelt

SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A PROGRAM FOR PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY GROUP SESSIONS , Kenadee Eyre

THE EFFECTS OF SENSORY EXPOSURES ON PRE-TERM INFANTS WITHIN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT , Isabell Grace Fetsch

TRANSITIONING A HAND THERAPY CLINIC FROM TRADITIONAL PAPER HOME PROGRAMS TO AN ELECTRONIC PLATFORM: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT , Megan Raissa Fuka

Caring for All in the NICU , Zachary Daniel Gascho

THE MIND MATTERS: INTERPROFESSIONAL MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH GUIDE FOR CANCER SURVIVORS , Jaecy Giegerich

EDUCATING THE EDUCATOR: ARTICULATING OT’S ROLE IN SCHOOL-BASED COLLABORATION , Bryce Shaun Graves

BECOMING AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ADVOCATE: A TOOLKIT FOR PRACTITIONERS , Tiana Jo Griffith

HOW ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROMOTE OCCUPATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN A RURAL COMMUNITY , Michael Helgeson

Addressing the Psychosocial Impacts and Recovery of a Patient with Carpal-Metacarpal (CMC) Arthroplasty: A Case Study , Christopher Hernandez

The Missing Piece: A Sensory Toolkit for Parents, Educators, Healthcare Professionals, and Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). , Jennavive Holm

IMPROVING OCCUPATIONAL ENGAGEMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION , Autumn Hopkin

THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS , Isabella Jeanette Johannes

SUBMITTING RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS TO FUND A STUDY EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY ON COMPASSION FATIGUE IN CAREGIVERS , Briana Minette Kent

Fostering a Loving Connection: A Foster Parent’s Toolkit for Understanding and Addressing Behaviors for Children Placed in Out-of-Home Care , Emily A. Knust

ACTING ON THE NEED OF A CLIENT, CAREGIVER, AND PRACTITIONER SEATING AND MOBILITY GUIDE , Aleksander Robert Kohn

DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL BASED PROGRAM: IMPLEMENTING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTO GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS , Samantha Jo Larson

AN OCCUPATION-BASED APPROACH TO CHRONIC PAIN IN RURAL ALASKA , Emma Elizabeth Lehman

PRIMITIVE REFLEX SCREENING AND CAREGIVER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. A PRODUCT TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH RETAINED PRIMITIVE REFLEXES TRANSITIONING INTO THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM. , Anna Justine Logan

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY’S ROLE IN PROMOTING EARLY LITERACY IN HEAD START PROGRAMS , Paige Mann

ASSISTING MOTHERS IN THE TRANSITION INTO MOTHERHOOD , Abbey McKenna Marinucci

LIVING A TRUSTFUL LIFE: A TRAUMA-FOCUSED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR FOSTER YOUTH , Michelle Ann McNamee

The Newly Arrived Client: Applying Culturally Responsive Occupational Therapy Approaches to the Refugee Population to Promote Occupational Justice , Dominique Menard

A SUCCESSFUL START WITH NEW START: TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FOR STUDENT VETERANS , Sheena Kay Miller

AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS: A STEP TOWARD PREVENTION , Olivia Grace Myers

ADDRESSING INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AFFECTED BY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA TO IMPROVE EMOTIONAL REGULATION , Alison O’Sadnick

THE PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND: OLDER ADULTS IN CUSTODY , Therese Pettersen

FOSTERING EARLY LITERACY SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN , Jaden Pikarski

A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO LYMPHEDEMA TREATMENT: A PATIENT’S EDUCATIONAL GUIDE , Bridget Jae Reuss

READING THE WARNING SIGNS: PREVENTIVE MENTAL HEALTH YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM , Cammy Cate Robertson

A Guide for Occupational Therapists: Utilizing Equine-assisted Therapy for Children in the Foster Care System Dealing with Trauma , Alexis Skogen

Program Structure for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities to Increase Participation in Physical Activity , Abbigail Mackenzie Smith

IMPROVING TRANSITIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES: A DUAL-COMPONENT RESOURCE , Benjamin Frederick Stagg

OCCUPATIONAL THERPAY’S ROLE WHEN TREATING PEDIATRIC FEEDING DISORDERS , Callie Vold

INTEGRATING OCCUPATION-BASED ACTIVITY GROUPS IN THE EARLYELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING , Krista Rae Weiland

SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER POPULATION , Taylor White

Water Based Therapy Educational Resource and Program Development for Children with Neurological Disorders , Alicia Young

SENSORY-BASED UNIVERSAL DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR HEAD START STUDENTS TO OPTIMIZE EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENT , Lexi Elizabeth Zahn

Capstones from 2022 2022

An Occupational Therapy Practitioner’S Intervention Guide To Increasing Occupational Engagement In The Virtual Setting With Individuals Diagnosed With Serious Mental Illness , Oluwafeyikemi Deborah Adewoye

Addressing Autism Spectrum Disorder In A School Based Setting , Grant Baker

The Effects Of Retained Primitive Reflexes On Students’ Occupational And Academic Performance In The School Setting , Molly Banks

Tiny Humans, Huge Environments: All The Sense’S Coming Into Play , Jessica L. Blackman

Increasing Health, Wellness, and Self-Care in Older Adults Experiencing Mental Health Effects During and After a Pandemic , Hayley Blom

Protecting Against Pain And Stress In The Nicu: An Evidence-Based Eye Examination Guideline , Heather Jo Bowman

Aquatic Therapy: An Interprofessional Resource Focusing On Children With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities , Mackenzie Martha Brokaw

Pediatric Telehealth Simplified: A Toolkit For The Rural Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practitioner , Stacy Michelle Buschette

Programming To Help At-Risk Youth Find Success In And Outside Of The Classroom , Nora Carlson

Occupation, Dissociation, and Queer Identity , Katie Christopherson

Promoting Adherence To Lymphedema Manageemnt: A Resource Guide For Ot Practitioners In Interprofessional Teams , Marissa Louise Dreiling

Meeting Sensory Needs: A Childcare Provider’S Guide To Support Sensory Strategies In The Daycare Setting , McKenzie Dye

Supporting Participation In Daily Tasks, Quality Of Life, And Well-Being For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease Dementia , Miranda Kay Evanson

Addressing Challenges Related To Community Reintegration Following A Traumatic Brain Injury , Alexia Rose Gallagher

Addressing The Recreation And Social Participation Gap In Children With Disabilities: Program Development Of A Recreational Summer Camp , Benjamin Isaac Germolus

Care For The Caregiver: A Rural Perspective , Michaela Claire Gerving

Wellness Education For The Food Insecure Population , Erin M. Grensteiner

The Development Of A Transition To Motherhood Education And Support Program: Elevate Motherhood , Chloe R. Haas

Pathway Through Nature: A Nature-Based Occupational Therapy Program To Support Adolescent Mental Health , Danielle Grace Halstead

Rural Community Park Accessibility , AshleyMarie Patricia Hirdler

Interoception Toolkit: A Resource For Occupational Therapy Practitioners To Use With Children And Their Families , Heidi Lynn Janssen

A Sensory-Based Toolkit For Health Management Of Patients With Aggressive Behaviors In Acute Care , Meghan Janssen

Referral And Outcomes In An Equine Facilitated Occupational Therapy Program , Julie A. Juracich

Enhancing the Leisure, Social Participation, and Quality of Life of Older Adults Isolated during the COVID-19 Pandemic , Mariah LeRoux

Strategies For Campers With Sensory Challenges , Rachel Jessica Lindemann

How to Support Adolescents Affected by ACEs: An Advocacy Guide , Hallie Longtin

Oral Hygiene Education For Patients And Staff In An Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting , Cassandra L. Madsen

A Research Study To Identify Gaps And Barriers To Mental Health Treatment In Natrona County , Jedekiah Zean May

Bringing Peace To The River: Establishing Support Groups For Survivors Of Loss By Suicide , Allison Emily McGauvran

The “Nature” Of Growth: A Virtual Education Platform For Caregivers Of Children With Trauma , Katelyn Rose McLellan

Sex, Drugs, & Rockin’ Referrals: An Interprofessional Guide For Young Adults With Cancer , Nicole Cathryn Merchlewicz

Developing An Occupational Therapy Role In Pediatric Private Practice , Sydnie R. Merriman-Ferri

Bridging The Gap: A Comprehensive Discharge Guide , Ashley Marie Mutziger

Yoga As Occupational Therapy Intervention For Individuals With Upper Extremity Injuries , Dina Mu Nickoson

Accessibility in Rural America , Ashley Osbjornson

Occupational Therapist’S Role In Addressing The Psychological Impacts Of Pain In Clients With Upper Extremity Conditions , Shivangi Patel

Bridging The Gap Between Ancillary Health Professions And Rural Community Health Needs , McKenzie Rae Peterson

Iris Clubhouse: Experiences of Community Integration , Rebecca J. Reeves

Inclusivity In Usa Swimming: A Sport For Every Ability , Ellie Anne Roche

Functional Cognition In Long-Term Care: Implementing Allen’S Cognitive Level Screen , Sarah Janean Schumacher

Transitional Caregiver Support from NICU to Early Intervention Services. , Sophia Schutt

Upper Extremity Evaluation & Intervention through the Utilization of Occupation-based Activities within the Model of Human Occupation Perspective , Richard J. Seaman

Parent & Caregiver Education And Support: A Product To Support Families Of Childrn With Senosry Processing Difficulties , Jaslyn Robb Seeley

Building Life Skills And Reducing Recidivism , Kassandra Severson

Occupational Therapy Program Development For Group Threatment For Outpatient Pediatric Clinics: Technology Management , Amy Lynn Fust Shaver

A Home-Based Program To Support Parents/Caregivers Of Children With Complex Developmental Needs In Their Home Environment , Audrey Lind Soulek

Creating a Sensory Friendly Classroom , Kaitlynn Stearns

Enhancing Occupational Performance Outcomes For Individuals With Orthopedic Injuries That Includes Psychosocial Well-Being Considerations In Occupational Therapy , Tyler Stecher

A Product To Aid Adolescents In Re-Integration To In-Person Education And Social Activities During The Covid-19 Pandemic , Kristin Nicole Thompson

Educating the Interprofessional Team and Family About Sensory Challenges Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder May Experience , Delanie Vitosh

Secondary To Post-Secondary Education Transition: A Guide For Self-Advocacy And Self-Determination , Karleen T. VonKrosigk

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Colleen Cameron Whiting

Assistant Professor

JWU Faculty Since 2024

Contact Info

Colleen Cameron Whiting, OTD, OTR/L has worked as an occupational therapist for over twenty-five years. Her expertise lies in holistically supporting children, particularly those with sensory integration and processing challenges, autism, and who have experienced trauma, using theoretically based, evidence-informed interventions, and advanced professional reasoning. Throughout Whiting's career in early intervention, mental health, schools, private practice, and academia, she has modeled the importance of being a lifelong learner and innovating new ideas through her scholarship and service. She has published several peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters on trauma, public health, sensory processing, social-emotional development, and interprofessional practice as well as a multiple baseline single-subject research study. Whiting has also presented internationally in professional development trainings for practitioners, parents, and educators. Before joining JWU, Whiting taught courses in occupational therapy doctorate programs at several universities.

• PP-OTD, Occupational Therapy, Boston University
• M.S., Occupational Therapy, Boston University
• B.A., Psychology, Boston College

“ "When teaching, my goal is to spark intellectual curiosity through active engagement and create a learning environment that feels safe to grow in." ”

Teaching Interests

Research, Pediatrics, Development, Mental Health

Scholarly Interests

Whiting's research interests include further exploring the prevalence of sensory integration and processing challenges impacting occupational engagement in the school setting, the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports in the schools to support students' sensory integration and processing as well as their social-emotional learning, the use of a trauma-informed approach in clinical and higher education settings, and the development and use of manualized Ayres Sensory Integration adapted for the school setting along with study of its efficacy.

• OTD7130: Occupational Therapy Assessment and Theory Across the Lifespan
• OTD8220: Research II
• OTD8320: Research III
• OTD8240: Occupational Therapy Practice I Lab
• OTD9910: Doctoral Capstone Project

Extra Curricular Roles

Co-Government Relations Representative for MAOT Editorial Review Board Member for The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy Member of AOTA School Mental Health Community of Practice Member of AOTA COP Childhood Trauma

Professional Affiliations

American Occupational Therapy Association          Massachusetts Association of Occupational Therapy

Publications

• Whiting, C. C., Schoen S., & Niemeyer, L. (2023). A sensory integration intervention in the school setting to support performance and participation: A multiple baseline study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 77(2). 7702205060.
• Whiting, C. C., Allen, R., & Ochsenbein, M. (in press). Social-Emotional Learning. In O’Brien, J. C. & Kuhaneck, H. (Eds.) Case-Smith’s Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents. Mosby.
• Whiting, C. C. (in press). Trauma. In Wagenfeld, A. (Ed.) Foundations of Pediatric Practice for the Occupational Therapy Assistant. SLACK.
• Stephenson, P., & Whiting, C. C. (in press). Autism. In Wagenfeld, A. (Ed.) Foundations of Pediatric Practice for the Occupational Therapy Assistant. SLACK.
• Whiting, C. C., Ochsenbein, M., Schoen, S., & Spielmann, V. (2021). A Multi-tiered and multi-dimensional approach to intervention in schools: Recommendations for children with sensory integration and processing challenges. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 15(3), 314-327.
• Allen, R., & Whiting, C. C. (2021). Lessons From COVID-19 for the educational context: A case study. In Lynch, A., Tekell, L., & Ashcraft, R. (Eds), Trauma, Occupation, and Participation (pp. 339-343). AOTA Press.
• Whiting, C.C. & Tekell, L. (2021). Trauma and occupational therapy's role in schools and education. In Lynch, A., Tekell, L., & Ashcraft, R. (Eds), Trauma, Occupation, and Participation (pp. 317-337). AOTA Press.

Honors And Awards

• AOTA Service Commendation, 2020
• AOTA Service Commendation, 2021
• AOTA Service Commendation, 2022
• AOTA Service Commendation, 2023
• Featured on podcast for Boston University Health Matters