Date of Award

Summer 4-23-2026

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Dr. Lesley Khan-Farooqi, PhD, OTD, OTR, Doctoral

Second Advisor

Dr. Eric Hicks, PhD, MS, OTR, Program Director

Medical Subject Headings

Spinal Cord Injuries, Sports for Persons with Disabilities, Occupational Therapists, Quality of Life, Caregivers, Child, Exercise, Occupations

Abstract

 Children with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) experience numerous barriers to participation in adaptive sports despite the well-established physical, psychosocial, and developmental benefits of physical activity. Financial constraints, limited awareness of funding opportunities, and the complexity of grant application processes often prevent families from accessing adaptive sports programs and specialized equipment. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to develop a comprehensive financial guidebook for families of children with SCIs to address financial barriers to adaptive sports participation, promote physical activity, and improve overall quality of life. Guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) model, this doctoral capstone project addressed financial accessibility as an environmental barrier influencing occupational participation. In partnership with Spero Rehab, the project involved creating a comprehensive financial guidebook and grant-writing toolkit designed to support families and caregivers in accessing funding for participation in adaptive sports. The development process included a literature review, needs assessment, qualitative interviews, surveys, observations, and collaboration with Spero Rehab staff. The guidebook included grant descriptions, resource links, timelines, templates, example applications, and checklists and was written in layman's terms to ensure accessibility for all families. Revisions were made after receiving feedback from Spero Rehab staff and families to improve the guidebook's accessibility, clarity, and usefulness. This capstone project demonstrates the role of occupational therapists in addressing environmental barriers through education, advocacy, and community outreach. By improving access to funding resources, this project aims to reduce financial inequities, increase participation in adaptive sports, promote occupational participation, and improve quality of life for children with SCIs and their families.

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.

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