Facilitating Occupational Balance in Students Transistioning to College
Graduation Date
2009
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Therapy
Department or Program Chair
Ruth Ramsey, EdD, OTR/L
Thesis Advisor
Stacy Frauwirth, MS, OTR/L
Second Advisor
Ruth Ramsey, EdD, OTR/L
Abstract
During transitions all individuals experience a shift in their roles, habits, patterns and daily activities. Occupational therapists are interested in assisting in this process by promoting health, maximal functioning and an increased quality of life. This project addressed the role of occupational therapy in the transition process of college students. In particular, freshman year is a critical time to address factors that lead to increasing student retention rates. A series of groups was created to provide the transitioning students with tools and skills for maintaining wellness in a changed and often stressful environment. The results of this project indicated that there is a need for the expansion of support services to address the negative effects of occupational imbalance due to college transitions. Implications for practice include intervention strategies that are focused on time management and occupational balance, as well as stress management. The outcome from this project indicates that more research is needed to enhance the effectiveness of occupational therapy programs that address issues of transition for college students.