Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

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  Educating Early Childhood Educators on Creating a Sensory Inclusive Classroom

  Maryah Booker, Zeida Gutierrez, and Maureen Fischer

  This capstone paper focuses on educating early childhood educators on sensory processing, helping them understand its impact on their students’ classroom activities, and equipping them with sensory-based strategies to support children with sensory differences, allowing them to thrive in a classroom environment.

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  Equine-Based Occupational Therapy to Develop Social and Emotional Skills in Adolescents: An Educational Video Series

  Annabeth Dorris, Steven Gerardi, and Angela Blackwell

  Adolescents experience rapid physical, emotional, and social changes that often challenge self-regulation and social-emotional skill development. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are equipped to address these needs through a variety of ways, like equine-based occupational therapy (EBOT), yet resources on this setting remain limited. This capstone project developed an educational video series to guide OT practitioners in using equine-based occupations to promote social-emotional learning (SEL) skills in adolescents, targeting self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The seven videos were posted to YouTube for easy access. This resource serves as a tool OT practitioners can use for knowledge and intervention ideas in EBOT. Future research should quantify the benefits of equine-based occupations to improve social and emotional skills in adolescent clients.

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  Increasing Play Opportunities to Improve Development and Health for Children

  Kallie S. Ellis, Wendy Tremaine, and Emily Bush

  Children with disabilities often experience reduced opportunities for meaningful peer play, which can negatively influence their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Early childhood environments play a critical role in supporting inclusive participation, yet many barriers—physical, social, and environmental—limit access to developmentally rich play throughout the school day. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Tier-1, school-based program designed to increase meaningful play opportunities for preschool children ages 3–6, with and without disabilities.

  A needs assessment was conducted with teachers and parents to identify developmental concerns and participation barriers related to fine motor, gross motor, and social skills. Based on these findings, an inclusive play program was integrated into center time and recess across three preschool classrooms (approximately 60 children). The program incorporated developmentally supportive activities, environmental modifications, and facilitation strategies rooted in occupational therapy practice. A play checklist was administered at three intervals—initial, midterm, and final—and qualitative feedback was gathered from teachers throughout implementation.

  Results indicated steady improvements in children’s play engagement across all skill domains, with teachers reporting increased participation, improved fine and gross motor performance, and richer peer interactions. Teachers also expressed that the program was beneficial for long-term classroom use and helpful in identifying students who may require further support.

  Overall, the project demonstrates that a collaborative, Tier-1 occupational therapy approach can successfully enhance inclusive play opportunities and promote developmental growth within preschool educational settings. Program deliverables provide sustainable tools for continued implementation.

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  Enhancing Quality of Life in Adults in Long-Term Care Through Work-Related Peer-Led Learning

  Geraldine Esparza and Rebecca King OTD

  Younger adults residing in long-term care (LTC) institutions face numerous challenges related to identity, engagement, social interactions, mental health, and overall quality of life. This doctoral capstone project developed and implemented a peer-led, work-related intervention program designed to promote mental health, enhance occupational engagement, and improve the quality of life for younger adults residing in long-term care facilities. A 14-week program, comprising an occupational profile, needs assessment, role selection, and two trials of peer-led meaningful work activities, was completed by five participants, aged 29 to 63. The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) served as the foundation for a qualitative program evaluation methodology. Results indicated an improvement with PHQ-9 scores decreasing across all participants and WHOQOL-BREF scores increasing. Participants demonstrated greater confidence, social interaction, purpose, and self-identity through engagement in work-related leadership roles. Significant improvements were noted between the first and second trials in observations and feedback, including increased independence, smoother sessions, improved peer communication, and stronger group dynamics. The program demonstrated that peer-led occupational engagement can transform the LTC environment into a meaningful community for younger residents, despite obstacles such as varying health conditions, staffing limitations, pain levels, and limited access to materials, which can influence implementation. This program highlights the vital role of occupational therapy in alleviating occupational deprivation and increasing engagement, identity, and well-being in younger LTC populations. Moving forward, this program can benefit residents in LTC across all ages, and the integration of peer-led work programs offers possible future directions for continued development and an increased sense of community and belonging.

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  Staying In the Game: Understanding The Impact of Gaming On Musculoskeletal Health and Occupational Performance

  Sereniti A. Forkey Dr and Zeida Gutierrez

  The purpose of this capstone is to examine the physical demands that gaming places on the musculoskeletal system and to gain a deeper understanding of gamers’ habits and behaviors. The goal of this project is to explore the population within its context, including psychosocial impacts and the potential need for intervention. By doing so, this research aims to provide valuable insights to both gamers and clinicians, supporting and enhancing occupational performance in gaming.

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  Redesigning Beauty: Promoting Universal Design for Upper Extremity Deficits

  Sierra Louise Forkey and Cynthia Haynes

  The purpose of this capstone project is to research and identify barriers individuals with upper extremity deficits face when participating in personal hygiene and grooming tasks and to use this information to advocate for individuals with upper extremity deficits by promoting inclusive design, educating consumers, and informing beauty manufacturers on the importance of implementing a universal design component to allow products to be more accessible.

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  Improving Rest and Sleep for Hospitalized Individuals: An Occupation Based Approach

  Margaret R. Greene and Lakesia Boykin

  Design and create an educational program for occupational therapy practitioners working within hospital environments, patients, and occupational therapy students on evidence grounded, occupation-based sleep activities to use with patients in inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. The educational program will contain modules focusing on the importance of sleep for overall health, how sleep impacts recovery, common environmental and personal factors impacting sleep, and interventions to help improve patient sleep. These educational modules and interventions will focus on the specific client and environmental factors within the occupational therapy scope of practice (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2020).

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  Falling Through the Cracks: Rethinking Fall Prevention for the Under-65 Crowd

  Jacob C. Gutierrez and Wendy Tremaine

  This project sought to address the lack of fall prevention education aimed at peoples under 65 in order to promote safety throughout the lifespan.

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  Regain Confidence Postpartum: A Guide for Pelvic Floor Health​

  Taylor Jackson, Mary Jan Greer, and Donna Carver

  Postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction can disrupt daily occupations such as toileting, hygiene, mobility, sexual health, sleep, and infant care. These challenges often reduce confidence and limit participation. Although pelvic floor issues are common, occupational therapy has not been widely recognized in this emerging area, leaving a gap in functional, client-centered support.

  This capstone project developed Regain Confidence Postpartum: A Guide for Pelvic Floor Health, an occupation-focused resource designed to help postpartum individuals understand pelvic floor dysfunction and return to meaningful routines. A needs assessment was completed through clinical observation, discussions with providers at Purely Pelvic Floor, and a review of current evidence. The assessment identified limited awareness of the role of occupational therapy and a need for accessible and functional education and intervention strategies.

  The guidebook content covers topics such as understanding your pelvic floor, signs of pelvic floor dysfunction, anatomy, psychosocial impacts, mindfulness practices, coping strategies for fear and anxiety, self-care and leisure, returning to meaningful activities, occupational disruption and social considerations, social and community scenarios, goal setting (Mom 101), activity sample tracking, physical recovery, healthy posture habits, Kegel exercises, pool noodle relaxation, and strategies for comfort, highlighting the growing role of occupational therapy in pelvic floor health and providing practical tools to support postpartum recovery and participation.

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  Inclusive Education and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Preparing University Students to Support Secondary Learners

  Kristen M. Lucke and Cynthia Haynes

  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 31 children in the United States, highlighting the need for future teachers and occupational therapists (OTs) to support students with ASD in inclusive educational settings. This mixed-methods capstone examined how an OT-informed professional learning session influenced university students’ knowledge, confidence, and readiness to support learners with ASD. Fifteen graduate students participated in a 75-minute instructional session addressing six ASD learning domains. Pre- and post-session measures included demographic information, the investigator-developed Knowledge and Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder (KPASD) assessment, Likert-scale ratings, and qualitative reflections. Participants demonstrated significant increases in total KPASD scores (p = .001), domain-level gains (p = .047), and an average 6.4% improvement in correct responses. Qualitative findings reflected increased understanding of ASD characteristics, diagnostic disparities, behavior, and inclusive instructional strategies. Findings demonstrate that a single structured learning experience can meaningfully enhance ASD-related knowledge, confidence, and inclusive readiness, illustrating how OT-informed professional learning strengthens evidence-based, collaborative, and inclusive practice to prepare future professionals better to support students with ASD in educational settings.

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  Assistive Technology for Proper Seating and Positioning for Geriatrics

  Jacee Lyons and Rebecca King

  The lack of staff education on pressure injury prevention places older adults at a higher risk of developing pressure injuries in a skilled nursing facility.

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  Bridging Sensory Processing and Community Integration for Adults with IDD: A Bilingual Approach

  Stephanie J. Newman and Cynthia Haynes

  The capstone project included creation, implementation, and evaluation of an educational program. The program provided education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their respective caregivers. The educational materials included development and implementation of educational workshops of sensory processing strategies in the community, work, and social settings for adults with IDD and bilingual home programs created for caregiver education. The program was evaluated through pre- and post-surveys administered to caregivers to demonstrate changes in knowledge of sensory processing strategies, as well as client assessments administered to assess changes in client understanding of sensory strategies.

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  Education and Advocacy for People with Disabilities: Adaptive Clothing Awareness

  Mansi Patel and Zeida Gutierrez

  The purpose of this educational capstone project is to develop and implement educational sessions that provide resources, raise awareness, and support individuals with disabilities in accessing adaptive clothing. The aim was to bridge the knowledge and awareness gap and provide hands-on learning opportunities to promote dressing independence.

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  Improving the Quality of Life of Adults with Visual Impairments Through an Occupational Therapy Lens

  Vanessa R. Patel, Rebecca King, and Jaimee Fielder

  Adults with visual impairments often experience decreased independence, safety concerns, and reduced confidence in daily occupations, particularly during meal preparation. This capstone project aimed to develop and implement an occupation-based educational program to support safe and independent cooking for adults with visual impairments. A needs assessment was conducted at Envision Dallas, resulting in a program focused on meal preparation and the use of adaptive strategies. The program consisted of twelve structured lessons delivered through a combination of individual sessions and group-based instruction. Outcomes were measured using pre- and post-session questionnaires, informal observation, and participant and family feedback. Results indicated improvements in participants’ confidence, safety awareness, and use of adaptive tools during cooking tasks. Findings support the role of occupational therapy in enhancing independence and quality of life for adults with visual impairments through client-centered, occupation-based intervention.

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  Empowering Parenting & Bonding for Women with Young Children in a Transition Home

  Payge Side and Mary Jan Greer PhD, OTR

  This capstone project was completed at Star of Hope, a transitional housing facility for women and children. A needs assessment revealed that mothers struggled with routine consistency, emotional regulation, and parent–child bonding due to environmental demands. In response, a customized parenting guidebook was developed using occupational therapy principles to provide structure, bonding activities, and self-reflection strategies. Mothers who engaged with the guidebook reported improvements in organization, confidence, and interactions with their children. Sustainability was supported by leaving the guidebook with the facility and training staff for continued use. The project highlights the impact of simple, structured OT interventions in promoting resilience and meaningful family routines.

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  Virtual Reality (VR) to Enhance Occupational Therapy (OT) Sessions for Children with Developmental Delays

  Macy M. Smith and Zeida Gutierrez

  This capstone project developed an educational guidebook to help pediatric OTs integrate evidence-based VR strategies into practice. The guidebook was created to enhance engagement, for children with developmental delays, impacting sensory and motor skills. By exploring VR’s benefits and barriers, the project guides therapists in adapting tech-enhanced approaches to individual needs.

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  Occupational Therapy's Role in Maternal Health: Empowering Mothers Experiencing Postpartum Depression and Anxiety Through Education On Child Development

  Phoebe Spernal and Keisa Boykin

  To empower mothers experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety by strengthening their maternal knowledge and self-efficacy in supporting their baby’s development through an occupational therapy-based educational program.

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  Educating High School Advisors on the Benefits of Life Skills Education Prior to Post-Secondary Transition

  Noble H. Steenbergen and Zeida Gutierrez

  To develop and provide a viable life skills program to high school educators, with the intent to educate students on life skills and reduce mental health problems during post-secondary transition

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  Program for Teachers to Address the Needs of Students with ADHD

  Ashton R. Wagner; Wendy Tremaine; and Dr. Mary Jan Greer, PhD, OTR

  The capstone project focused on supporting teacher participants from Eden Gardens Fundamental Magnet Elementary by providing practical strategies to address students who struggle with attention, regulation, and daily classroom routines. After completing a needs assessment, it was clear that many teachers faced similar challenges, including difficulty with transitions, staying on task, and responding when students became overwhelmed. To address this, created an OT-led teacher-training program that uses the PEOP model and focuses on simple, practical strategies teachers can implement right away. This included visual cues, sensory and movement supports, and minor changes to the classroom setup. As teachers began using these tools, they checked in regularly to offer guidance, which helped make adjustments to the strategies as needed. Findings led teachers to feel more confident, use the provided strategies more consistently, and notice improvements in student engagement and daily routines. Overall, the project highlighted occupational therapy's role in strengthening teacher support and increasing teachers' confidence in selecting appropriate strategies to manage students' ADHD-like behavior. Making simple changes helped create a calmer classroom environment and increased the ability to meet the needs of students with attention and regulation challenges associated with ADHD.

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  Advocating for the Role of Occupational Therapy in Addressing PTSD in Veterans: A Video Series

  Ralei Wine and Keisa Boykin

  The purpose of this project is to further advocate for occupational therapy with veterans who experience PTSD through a video series. The intent is to educate veterans about the role of occupational therapy and encourage engagement in meaningful occupations to increase quality of life.