The purpose of this research project was to determine the existence and type of sequential effect evident in ratings of voice quality by SLPs with and without prior experience rating voices using the CAPE-V overall severity rating. It was expected that SLPs with experience rating voices will demonstrate a small assimilation bias and those without experience rating voices will demonstrate a larger contrast bias. A between-groups method was used where each participant rated moderately dysphonic voices in a neutral, severe, and mild condition. The severe and mild conditions were composed of 5 severely or mildly dysphonic voices after which the moderate voice was rated again to assess any change in rating by condition. All participants demonstrated a contrast bias in the severe condition only. Raters without experience rating voices had a larger contrast bias, as well as those with greater confidence using the CAPE-V tool. The results of this study suggest caution in using a clustered presentation of voices for research purposes as the contrast bias observed would impact the validity of those observations. Knowledge of this effect should be incorporated into future studies of voice ratings.

Occupational therapy (OT) is a global health care and justice-oriented profession. Preparing OT students to include justice as a part that intersects with practice—and not as an optional choice—should be an essential component of academic learning in OT programs. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Vision 2025 adopted a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity, declaring that every individual has the right to feel valued, welcomed, and respected (AOTA, 2018). In this OT doctoral project, the author has developed an educational guide, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Academic Learning - Occupational Therapy (IDEAL-OT) for OT programs. This project was designed to integrate inclusion, diversity, and equity within the OT curricula to be a woven aspect in the OT students' clinical reasoning and professional performance to serve diverse population appropriately. The author aims to fill existing gaps in the literature on adopting the cultural humility lens within OT profession through a theory driven, client-centered, and evidence-based approach as a road map to meeting the OT profession’s standards and clients’ diverse needs. By adopting this project, OT students will demonstrate and practice OT within the cultural humility scope by improving self-efficacy in serving diverse population and meet the client's culturally individualized needs, and advocate for individuals with limited opportunities as global citizens, agents of change, and life-long learners.

A therapist's Emotional Competence (EC) is their ability to navigate their own emotions and the emotions of their clients in therapeutic interactions (Brasseur et al., 2013; Wilkinson et al., 2017). EC is defined as a person's skills, confidence, and capacity to navigate emotions in different social situations (Coetzee et al., 2006, Saarni et al., 1997, Brasseur et al., 2013). It is a complex skill that draws from Emotional Intelligence and therapeutic use of self and is linked to one's self-awareness and empathy (Brackett et al., 2021; Perkins, 2018; Perkins & Schmid, 2019; Taylor, 2020). Studies show that effective emotional navigation in healthcare enhances the quality of care by improving client engagement and motivation, therapeutic relationships, and treatment outcomes (Brasseur et al., 2013; Kielhofner, 2009; Kotsou et al., 2011; Park, 2021; Taylor, 2020). Therapists also benefit from increased well-being and protection against burnout and compassion fatigue (Wong, 2016; Taylor, 2020, American Occupational Therapy Association, 2020). Despite the importance of EC, curriculums for healthcare professionals typically place little emphasis on developing effective emotional-related skills and strategies (Brown, 2018; Grant et al., 2014; Perkins, 2018). Furthermore, many healthcare organizations lack on-site education to enhance practicing professionals' EC and interpersonal communication skills (Calabrese et al., 2019). All of these may adversely affect the therapist's well-being and the quality of care. To address this gap in occupational therapy practice, the author created an intervention entitled EmOTions. EmOTions is a comprehensive, six-week- 30-hour online course for practicing occupational therapists. Its primary purpose is to build and incorporate EC skills into daily therapeutic practice. This theory and evidence-based continuing education course uses key interventional ingredients found in the literature to inform the program's content and structure. The resulting changes in participants' EC and EC's effects on therapeutic relationships and therapist well-being will be evaluated using a pre-post comparative design. Funding for the course will be tuition-based, and the research will be funded using grants to promote quality care. The dissemination plan will be directed towards potential EmOTions course participants and organizations providing healthcare services. In conclusion, emotionally competent occupational therapists will deliver better care and experience improved therapist well-being. It is the author's hope that the EmOTions course developed in this OTD project will positively impact the therapists' EC, resulting in improved therapist well-being, quality care, and client outcomes.

Children who are gifted or twice-exceptional (2e) share distinct qualities beyond academic achievement such as heightened neurological responsivity and asynchronous development (Bishop, 2019; Buica-Belciu & Popovici, 2014; Gere et al., 2009). Decreased knowledge and awareness of these shared qualities, combined with bias in the referral process for evaluation and identification of giftedness or 2e, contributes to under-identification, misdiagnosis, and misunderstanding of this population (Card et al., 2016; Webb et al., 2016). As a result, these children have decreased access to interventions that effectively address their needs. Bloom Seedlings is an inclusive preschool program in which occupational therapy practitioners play a primary role in early intervention for children with behavioral challenges related to giftedness or 2e. Social-emotional learning, sensory strategies, mindfulness techniques, and engagement in meaningful occupations are infused in the curriculum to improve self-regulation and decrease impulsive behaviors. Educational modules and support sessions for professionals and caregivers are critical components to improve relationships between caregivers, educators, and children (Zinsser et al., 2019; Zulauf et al., 2019) and are integral to the program. Through engagement in Bloom Seedlings, participants experience improved occupational performance, health and wellness, quality of life, participation, role competence, well-being, and occupational justice. Occupational therapy practitioners can become strong leaders in giftedness and 2e through program development, program evaluation, and contributions to the research. Bloom Seedlings places occupational therapy practitioners in a primary role to increase health, wellness, and advocacy for children who are gifted or 2e.

Cardiac clients do not have limitations in their body movements, but they can experience physical fatigue and weakness when they perform daily routines and may experience psychological distress and uncertainty about their heart conditions and bodies. Sometimes the people around cardiac clients can become overly protective due to concerns about unexpected cardiac crises (Albarran et al., 2004; Alsen & Brink, 2013; Altiok et al., 2015; Condon & McCarthy, 2006; Eckhardt et al., 2014; Fredriksson-Larsson et al., 2015; Hellem & Bruusgaard, 2020; Husser & Roberto, 2009; Jeon et al., 2010; Johansson et al., 2003). Such issues are related to cardiac clients’ restricted activity participation, and they need ongoing activity guidance to resume safely their desired activities. A clinical approach that facilitates safe participation in all activities for the cardiac population after discharged was developed in this doctoral project, and this author created an individualized, occupation-based, occupational therapy-led outpatient treatment program. Cardiac clients are encouraged and instructed in ways to manage their stress during activities, and they are empowered to actively participate in their own care. The outcomes of this project will contribute to increasing numbers of occupational therapy referrals for cardiac clients, increased recognition of the distinct role of occupational therapy in cardiac care, and the inclusion of occupational therapy in the continuum of post-discharge care.

Now, more than ever, there is a need to increase children’s access to quality and equitable social and emotional learning (SEL) programming, especially within the out-of-school time (OST) setting. Mobilizing occupational therapy (OT) students in a service-learning context is an effective way to increase necessary personnel for this effort. Doing so warrants the development of a framework that offers robust bidirectional SEL and establishes effective guidelines for engagement. A search of the evidence-based literature revealed cognitive reappraisal as an important point for content impact within a trauma-informed approach that aligns with posttraumatic growth outcomes. Isolating the core ingredient as perspective, a fundamental component of integrative complexity, a framework entitled Storying is proposed that targets cognitive flexibility, intellectual values, and openness. Fictional story-making is the ideal playground for exploration of perspectives at a safe psychological distance. Informed by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF), Storying challenges one to open focus and expand beyond emotional awareness to recognition and analysis of experience: the dynamic interplay between mind, body, and environment.

This study aims to evaluate classroom management from teachers’ perspectives and the effects on classroom management for diverse learners. Research on classroom management is reviewed, with an emphasis on lines of inquiry originating in preventative measures, with implications for teacher education. Preventive, system-based approaches to management provide a basis for shifting negative dispositions and assisting teachers to plan and organize classroom activities to decrease behavior referrals. Studies of teacher dispositions and affect provide additional perspective on teacher development and on factors that influence management, which effect student outcomes. Utilization of and collaboration with occupational therapists in the area of classroom management is highlighted as a means to assist with systemic change in the academic environment.

INTRODUCTION OF THE PROBLEM: According to McCrory et al., (2017) a sports related concussion is a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces (pp. 839). It is estimated that up to 1.9 million of those reports account for adolescents and children (Bryan et al., 2016, as cited in Halstead et al., 2018). Despite the high prevalence, many adolescent athletes have limited knowledge regarding concussions and even with the knowledge they refuse to report their possible concussion to a coach or another authority figure. A professional’s knowledge and self-efficacy to identify and treat a possible concussion are key components in the recovery and safety of the adolescent athlete. PROPOSED INTERVENTION: To address the above area of need, this author is proposing the Concussion Education Reporting and Training (CERT) program. The primary stakeholders participating in the program will be adolescent athletes participating in team-based sports for their respective schools and school-based staff. The adolescent athlete portion will be divided into two sections. The first section will be with the entire team to educate them on signs and symptoms of concussions, management, return to play guidelines, and the importance of reporting concussions. The second part will be provided to selected members of the team identified by the coaches. This phase will focus on implementing strategies to increase their reporting of concussions and encouragement of teammates to report their concussions. DESIGN: Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected through pre and post survey, comparison of reporting concussions through the seasons, and semi-structured interviews with participants. CONCLUSION: Supported by evidence found in literature, this program has the capability to educate and promote concussion awareness that will prevent devastating outcomes for your student athletes impacting their quality of life and will provide staff with the means to effectively manage student athletes’ concussions to maintain their independence and return to full participation in athletics and academics.

Dream On is an innovative and holistic program aimed at promoting positive bedtime experiences and healthy sleep in preschoolers and elementary school-aged children with neurodevelopmental delays and behavioral sleep problems. Behavioral sleep problems in children may present as bedtime refusal or resistance, delayed sleep onset, nighttime wakings, nighttime fears, cosleeping, and daytime sleepiness. This may lead to decreased quantity and quality of sleep and also impact children’s executive functioning skills, behaviors, health, and overall wellbeing. Furthermore, sleep problems in children can have a detrimental influence on the entire family’s well-being. Thorough literature reviews were conducted to determine the contributing factors that lead to behavioral sleep problems in children and to ascertain which nonpharmacological interventions are impactful in improving sleep in children with neurodevelopmental delays. Dream On is a theory-driven parent program that is customizable to each child. Parents will participate in six 45-minute modules, one-on-one with the program creator either in person or online. A variety of evidence-based strategies will be offered incorporated from the following: parent education and parent training, sleep hygiene, behavioral interventions, mindfulness-based interventions, sensory-based strategies, and doll therapy. During a pilot program of Dream On, program evaluation will be performed, measuring changes in children’s sleep, executive functioning, sensory processing, and functional skills. Interviews will also be conducted following program implementation to gain insight into the parent perspective and experience of Dream On. The doctoral project includes detailed plans for program evaluation, funding, and dissemination. / 2024-08-31T00:00:00Z

Sensory processing challenges have been associated with participation difficulties across different occupational domains. Commonly affected areas include activity competence, social interactions, and participation in school or leisure activities (Butera et al., 2020; Thye et al., 2018). Occupation-focused interventions have previously found success in addressing participation challenges (Gantam, 2020). Similarly, problem solving approaches have been successful in facilitating the occupational performance and social participation of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (Brooks & Bannigan, 2021; Gantam, 2020). Different Cups for Different Folks (DCDF) is an occupational therapy program, with an educational and interventional component. It is targeted to adolescents with age-appropriate cognitive skills whose sensory processing patterns interfere with their participation in occupations. The DCDF program presents a low-cost occupation-focused intervention that equips adolescents with resources to contextualize and address their participation challenges. There are four key features of the DCDF program: discussing sensory processing to contextualize participation challenges, presenting cognitive strategies to address said challenges, promoting transfer of learning by creating opportunities where program users design their own strategies, and participating in the program’s group sessions.