Date of Award
Spring 4-10-2026
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Dr. Cynthia Haynes
Second Advisor
Dr. Helen Carey
Medical Subject Headings
Adolescents, Coping skills, Diabetes mellitus, Type 2, Prevalence, Occupations, Students
Abstract
The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes among adolescents highlights the need for early prevention-focused interventions. This capstone project developed and implemented an occupation-based educational program for middle school students targeting body awareness, nutrition, movement, and stress management. The program consisted of five interactive workshops addressing energy awareness, meal planning, social and environmental influences on health, movement-based regulation strategies, and coping skills. Hands-on activities, including energy check-ins, meal logs, movement stations, and coping toolbox development, were used to promote engagement and support the development of healthy routines.
Recommended Citation
Cook, S. (2026). Occupational Therapy in Action: Enhancing Diabetes Awareness and Support in Rural Schools. [Doctoral project, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences]. SOAR @ USA: Student Capstone Papers Collection. https://doi.org/10.46409/sr./AUXA8414
Related Content
This capstone was presented as a poster presentation at the Spring 2026 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences, available as:
Cook, S., & Haynes, C. (2026, April 10). Occupational Therapy in Action: Enhancing Diabetes Awareness and Support in Rural Schools. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2026/34
Comments
Capstone project submitted to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy.