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Blending AI and Human Performance to Engage Students
Get PDFHuman-powered avatars were used in an adolescent development class to engage college students and meet course objectives. Students participated in mixed-reality simulations working with middle-school parents and a small group of teenagers. Student feedback on the use of this technology was mixed and offered suggestions for future classroom implementation
Incorporating Experiential Learning for Sensitive Topics
Get PDFOne major goal of higher education is to develop the professional identity of the learner. This unique type of learning can be encouraged through experiential sessions, creative activities and small-group discussions. Stigmatized topics can be effectively tackled in these formats, if students are provided space for deeper engagement and reflection
All the World’s a Stage: The Implementation of Creative Arts Therapy Utilizing Psychodrama in Prison Populations
Get PDFIncarceration rates continue to increase in the United States every year. Federally, the FIRST STEP ACT was passed to assist in rehabilitative programming and to reduce recidivism rates. Psychology programs intervene in areas such as trauma, a highly prevalent concern amongst adults in custody, and utilize evidence-based recidivism programming. Creative Arts Therapies (CATs) have been implemented in prisons in the United States, while Psychodrama is a psychotherapeutic technique generally utilized in European and Asian countries. The World’s Stage (TWS) is a treatment modality that provides psychoeducation on trauma and trauma responses in a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy format and integrates the use of Psychodrama and Creative Arts for group and individual processing. By utilizing psychoeducation and Psychodrama in six initial sessions, creative arts therapy is implemented in the final four sessions for additional trauma processing with progress being observed, monitored, and recorded using the Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Potential implications for TWS are improved psychological well-being, increased knowledge pertaining to trauma, providing a safe and supportive environment for inmates, posttraumatic growth, and reduction of recidivism
The Dark Core of Humanity: The Influence of Dark Tetrad Traits on Activism
No full textIn times of growing concern for the future of humanity, levels of overall activism are increasing. Thus, it is important to determine the personality types drawn to engage in either peaceful or violent forms of activism. Previous studies have focused on the Dark Triad traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism) and the Big Five personality traits as variables influencing the amount, and type (i.e., peaceful vs. violent), of participation in activism, overlooking the influence of sadism. The current study aimed to expand on existing literature through a conceptual replication of Zacher (2024), who found that the Dark Triad traits and left-wing authoritarianism significantly predicted engagement in activism. In the present study, using the Dark Tetrad (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, sadism) and left-wing authoritarianism (i.e., anti-hierarchical aggression, top-down censorship, anti-conventionalism) traits as predictor variables, data gathered from 229 undergrad students at Eastern Kentucky University showed a positive association between narcissism, Machiavellianism, anti-hierarchical aggression, and anti-conventionalism with engagement in activism. Results also showed a negative relationship between psychopathy and engagement in activism. The testing of the final hypothesis showed a positive correlation between psychopathy and sadism with support for violent protest. Findings from this study suggest that while the two Dark Tetrad traits of psychopathy and sadism promote the violent nature of protesters high in these traits, there can be a bright side to these otherwise dark personality traits
Family Involvement in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Interventions: A Qualitative Study
No full textIn recent years, family involvement has increasingly been recognized as a critical component of effective pediatric occupational therapy (OT) interventions. Research suggests that parents who actively participate in OT can enhance a child’s engagement, motivation, and therapy outcomes (Sayers et al., 2021). However, the specific experiences and perspectives of parents and families, particularly regarding how they view their role and the impact of their involvement on therapy outcomes, remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate parental perceptions, challenges, and the perceived benefits of involvement in OT interventions, and adding to the understanding of how family collaboration can optimize therapeutic outcomes for children
Beyond the Glitz and Glam: Unveiling the Physical and Psychological Toll of Performative Perfection in Competitive Cheer and Dance
No full textThis study examines the factors that affect athlete burnout in current and former dancers and cheerleaders. A total of 108 participants completed an electronic survey where they provided information about their experiences with either cheerleading or dance and filled out a modified athlete burnout scale to get an average burnout score based on their responses. When looking at the variables that make up the culture of cheer and dance, a variety of relationships were found relating to burnout. Highly competitive experiences where athletes spend many hours per week participating and get very few breaks are correlated with high levels of burnout. An overall lack of support and negative behaviors from coaches, teammates, and parents lead to high burnout scores as well. These findings suggest that we need to be more aware of the potential for burnout in young dancers and cheerleaders, giving them plenty of social support and breaks so that they can have balance in their lives. By doing this, we can help to prevent burnout before it starts and make experiences for dancers and cheerleaders positive and enjoyable.
Keywords: Athlete Burnout, Dance, Cheerleadin
Exploring Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Experiences in Mental Health, Behavioral Health, and Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork
No full textOccupational therapy services offered in behavioral health remain low despite the growing number of individuals with behavioral health and psychosocial needs who could benefit from these services. Concurrently, in academia, all occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students must complete at least one fieldwork focused primarily on mental health, behavioral health, and/or psychosocial needs. Research is limited regarding these fieldwork experiences, especially among occupational therapy assistant students. This project aimed to understand this gap better and comprehend how these experiences impact readiness to work with individuals labeled with a serious mental illness. Forty-five occupational therapy assistant students completed pre- and post-questionnaires regarding their experiences working with individuals with mental health, behavioral health, and/or psychosocial needs. Conventional content analysis and dialogic analysis revealed notable improvements in student perceptions and competencies as a result of their fieldwork experiences. Persistent safety concerns from pre- to post-fieldwork highlight the need for occupational therapy assistant programs to incorporate targeted educational content and experiential learning to address this issue. Responses underscore the critical role of this fieldwork in promoting holistic practice and reaffirming occupational therapy’s foundational roots in supporting mental health and well-being
Demographic Factors as Predictors of Academic Performance in First- and Second-Year Occupational Therapy Students
No full textSignificant disparities in academic performance that may be associated with specific demographics can be utilized for supporting diverse student cohorts. Strategies can be developed for students to enhance equity and inclusivity in undergraduate occupational therapy education to ensure student success. This study aimed to determine the predictive demographic factors influencing academic performance among first- and second-year undergraduate occupational therapy students at a university in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was utilized, and the sample included 129 first- and second-year students. Data were collected retrospectively from university records and student dashboards. Key demographic and academic variables were analyzed, including personal and geographical information, parental education, funding, university enrollments, and academic performance. Data analyses included descriptive statistics for the overall cohort and students who failed courses in the first and second year. Logistic regression was utilized to identify patterns and relationships between the variables and academic performance for students who failed ranging from 2 to 48 students per course in first year, and 7 to 50 students who failed per course in second year. The study indicates that demographic factors influenced academic performance among occupational therapy students in South Africa, but their impact varied by course. Gender, age, and geographical context were noteworthy predictors of academic performance, particularly highlighting the challenges faced by male students and students from rural contexts. These insights contribute to understanding the complex nature of demographic factors affecting student outcomes, particularly in the context of resource-constrained countries in the global South. The study advocates for individual support and targeted interventions to address diverse student needs, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach
Systems Evaluation Supporting Feeding Program Development
No full textBackground: Prior to the development of a feeding therapy program, a system evaluation was completed in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. Changes were implemented to support the program, while planning and the initial phases of the feeding therapy program began.
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to enhance daily clinic operations and initiate the development of a feeding therapy program, with a focus on establishing evidence-based, family-and child-centered care.
This capstone project addressed the following objectives:
1. Assess clinic systems to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as threats and opportunities while evaluating existing processes that may impact program development.
2. Implement changes to improve infrastructure supporting future program development.
3. Plan and implement an evidence-based feeding therapy program.
Theoretical Framework: The Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model was the framework that guided this project.
Methods: This capstone project used a system evaluation design to examine operations and processes in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic in preparation for the development and implementation of an evidence-based feeding therapy program.
Results: Clinic systems were assessed with changes implemented to support program development. During this capstone, planning also began the development of an evidence-based feeding therapy program.
Conclusion: System changes were made to improve daily operations in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic to support program development
A Model for Interprofessional Education between Occupational Therapy and Accounting Students: A Mixed-Methods Study
Get PDFThis interprofessional education (IPE) project was designed to prepare students to work and lead in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. The purpose of this project is to describe and measure accounting and occupational therapy students’ perception and value of participating in an IPE learning activity and how the activity enriched the learning environment and identified gaps of knowledge to improve teaching. A mixed methods pre- post-survey design was used to collect quantitative data from a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9a) from 115 occupational therapy and 21 accounting students. Qualitative data was collected from a post-survey using open-ended questions and the accounting students’ consultation deliverable report to the occupational therapy students. Statistically significant improvements from pre- post-survey for all ISVS-9a items were found for the occupational therapy students (all