9667 research outputs found
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The relationship of flutist music therapists to their primary instrument: An arts-based re-imagined study
No full textThe purpose of this arts-based research study was to partially replicate a previously conducted 2018 study by Hadar and Amir in which the investigators explored the complex relationship between flutist music therapists (FMTs) and their primary instrument. The researcher interviewed five participants for this study, and incorporated an added layer of musical data – participant improvisation recordings - meant to represent thoughts, feelings, and emotions surrounding participants’ relationships with their primary instrument. Using the Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis, and an adapted musical analysis method by Eggerding (2023) and Ferrara (1984), five themes emerged: enjoyment in flute, negativity with flute, balance between flute and music therapy, flute during covid, and “missing” the flute, each with relevant and respective subthemes. Interpretation of improvisations was compiled into a musical collage that further supports these themes. The results of this study detail the strong and complex relationship that FMTs have with their primary instrument
Empowering Women in Recovery by Embracing Mindfulness
No full textThis capstone project focuses on the implementation of an 8-week mindfulness-based program for pregnant and parenting women residing in an inpatient recovery treatment center. The purpose of this program is to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while improving quality of life and enhancing occupational roles through occupation-based activities incorporating mindfulness practice.Nexus Recovery Cente
Beyond the Desk: Ergonomic Program to Injury Prevention at a Car Dealership in West Texas
No full textA comprehensive educational program will be developed through an occupational therapy lens for individuals in the workplace to implement and promote ergonomic practices. The program will emphasize on identifying common workplace risk factors, educating on health promoting workplace habits, and implementing ergonomic solutions to decrease work related musculoskeletal disorders or injury risks
Developing an early-career occupational therapy mentorship program for occupation-based practice
No full textOccupation-based practice is often described as the foundation of occupational therapy, distinguishing it from other health professions. Occupational therapy education programs are mandated to prepare students to implement occupation-based practice. Thus, early-career occupational therapy practitioners are uniquely positioned to use occupation in practice, but many do not. In reality, recent graduates may find that their expectation to engage in occupation-based practice is not commensurate with the expectations or culture of their work settings. Without guidance from supervisors or mentors, early-career occupational therapists may shift away from occupation-based practice to align with workplace expectations and culture, replacing occupation-based practice with exercise-based interventions, social work tasks, or other non-occupational therapy-specific activities. This study aimed to develop a mentorship program for early-career occupational therapy practitioners focused on improving their use of occupation in practice. An evidence-based program development model for health promotion and the theory of occupational adaptation guided this study's two-phased program development process. In Phase 1, a needs assessment identified necessary topics for the mentorship program. Needs assessment data were collected through two focus groups of experienced occupational therapists who reported regularly implementing occupation-based practice. Qualitative content analysis of the focus group data and evidence from literature informed a list of general mentorship topics, the outcome of Phase 1. Phase 2 focused on content refinement using semi-structured interviews of a) three experts in foundational concepts of the mentorship program including the theory of OA, occupational therapy practice in inpatient physical rehabilitation settings, and the assessment and implementation of occupation-based practice; and b) two early-career occupational therapists who were not satisfied with their use of occupation, the target population for the mentorship program. There were ten iterations of the mentorship program as it moved through the development process. The result of this study was the mentorship program's purpose statement and outline. The mentorship program is comprised of repeatable sessions organized around the processes of a) reflection and assessment of current occupation-based practice, b) development of plans for change, c) implementation of plans, and d) assessing the changes made to occupation-based practice. By improving occupation-based practice, early-career occupational therapists may strengthen their professional identity, thereby building confidence, job satisfaction, professional resilience, and career longevity. Future research is needed to study the feasibility of implementing the mentorship program for early-career occupational therapists dissatisfied with their occupation-based practice
Examining the Impact of Sports on Health and Quality of Life in Systematically Underserved Youth
No full textThe purpose of this capstone project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the youth basketball program at the Jubilee Center in improving physical health and quality of life by generating data-driven insights from biometric measures (BP, HR, and BMI) and quality of life assessments. The findings from these health assessments informed the development of a targeted health education session for the youth members.Jubilee Park and Community Cente
Through the lens of the Model of Human Occupation: A phenomenological approach to the exploration of the psychosocial experiences and occupational participation in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in early survivorship
No full textAccording to the National Cancer Institute (2023), adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (between the ages of 15 and 39) diagnosed with cancer in the United States have a relatively high rate of survival at 86%. However, they can experience an array of long-term effects that may be endured after treatment completion, including psychosocial problems that can disrupt their daily functioning and identity. Cancer survivors are at higher risk of psychosocial issues, nearly six times higher than the general population, and AYAs face unique psychosocial experiences as their cancer trajectory is complicated by biological and psychosocial development. Current research in cancer rehabilitation is primarily focused on physical problems, and the dearth of evidence-based literature supporting occupational therapy (OT) in oncology provides limited guidance on addressing the psychosocial needs of AYAs. To bridge the gap, this qualitative, phenomenological study aimed to explore the psychosocial experiences of community-dwelling adolescents and young adult cancer survivors in the early survivorship phase, as well as their self-perceptions of occupational participation, and how psychosocial experiences affect occupational participation. Using a reflexive thematic analysis approach, the results (N=9) revealed three major themes with three subthemes: 1) living with co-existing psychosocial experiences (subthemes: emotional distress, identity distress, and personal growth), 2) barriers and facilitators to occupational participation (occupational disruption, occupational participation, and occupational adaptation) and 3) rebuilding a new occupational identity (recovery and reintegration, redefining self, and redefining participation). The findings indicate that AYA cancer survivors experience psychosocial and occupational changes, with negative and positive outcomes, during early survivorship. There is a bidirectional relationship between psychosocial experiences and occupational participation. The findings of the study bolster the need for continued care during survivorship and tailored services for the AYA population. With its unique expertise in functioning, OT practitioners can work with AYA cancer survivors to improve occupational participation and develop a positive occupational identity
Color, race, and interactions with the criminal justice system beyond the Black-White binary
No full textThis study simultaneously examines the independent effects of color and race as well as their interactive effects with gender on interactions with the criminal justice system in the United States including arrest, conviction, and incarceration. I tested four hypotheses using a nationally representative sample (n=1784) from the 2012 General Social Survey and logistic regression models. The hypothesized independent effects of skin color and race, as well as their interactive effects with gender, on the likelihood of arrest, conviction, and incarceration are not supported after controlling for relevant variables. Limitations of data may have contributed to the results. While the lack of significant skin color and race effects contrasts with prior research and theoretical expectations, the effects of some sociodemographic variables align with previous studies. The findings have implications for research on this topic and underscore the need for further investigation using more robust data
The social and affective consequences of abnormal embodiment: A literary analysis
No full textThis thesis examines abnormally embodied characters in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Oscar Panizza’s short story, “A Scandal at the Convent.” In Frankenstein, the monster’s status as a reanimated corpse places him outside society’s normative embodiment standards. Similarly, Alexina, the main character who is discovered to be intersex, suffers social and affective consequences of having a non-normative embodiment. Both characters' embodiment drastically affects their social life and experiences with fitting into society. These experiences lead to the development of an affective identity deeply influenced by the negative consequences of abnormal embodiment. Chapter 1 discusses the external reactions and social consequences of a commonly known abnormal embodiment. Chapter 2 examines the affective consequences of these interactions, including the internalized affects that these characters develop due to their social alienation
Effects of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) on breast cancer cells
No full textHuman Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread herpesvirus known for its establishment of a lifelong infection in its host which is never cleared by the immune system. Because of its extensive mechanisms dedicated to immune evasion, HCMV is thought to exacerbate a variety of human diseases. One such disease is breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women. Many studies have identified HCMV infection to be prevalent in malignant breast tissue, suggesting a role for HCMV in breast tumor progression. However, whether HCMV infection promotes a more invasive phenotype for breast cancer cells has not been established.
To determine whether HCMV infection promotes a more invasive phenotype in breast cancer cells, we infected two hormone receptor positive breast cancer cell lines with a clinical strain of HCMV. We hypothesized that HCMV infection would cause phenotypic changes that could contribute to treatment resistance, and interfere with immune detection. Using western blotting and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we found that HCMV infection downregulates the hormone receptors Estrogen Receptor-α (ERα) and Progesterone Receptor (PR). This is clinically relevant because these hormone receptors are targeted by endocrine therapy, the current standard of care for patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Using flow cytometry to measure immune receptor levels, we found that Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) is upregulated in HCMV-infected cells. PD-L1 inhibits elimination of virally infected cells and cancer cells. We then developed a new mouse model to study whether HCMV infection of breast cancer cells enhances metastasis of breast cancer cells. We found that when human breast cancer cells were infected with HCMV and implanted into athymic mice, metastasis to nearby adipose tissue was enhanced. This establishes a new model for investigating the effects of HCMV infection on breast cancer metastasis, the most common cause of cancer deaths.
Our work aims to add to the growing body of knowledge around the relationship between breast cancer and HCMV infection. Our unique contribution is the study of HCMV infection of breast cancer cells in vitro, whereby a causative role can be established for phenotypic changes induced upon infection with HCMV
