Student Research Posters

Research is a cornerstone of education at Dominican University of California. Posters in this collection showcase student research presented at conferences.

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

Occupational Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit

Michelle Chan, Kelsie Colombini, Kristen M. Henderson, and Courtney Malachowski

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) currently lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in patients post cardiac surgery. Furthermore, interventions are frequently guided by professional experience and clinical reasoning instead of current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision encourages occupational therapists to pursue science-driven practices and provide evidence-based interventions. In response to this vision, an extensive review of current literature was conducted and applied to develop an evidence-based clinical pathway for the occupational therapists at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. The proposed clinical pathway includes intervention guidelines for physical recovery, early detection of cognitive impairment, and psychosocial health for patients post cardiac surgery recovering in the ICU. The clinical pathway would establish a standard of care and facilitate patients’ return to their highest level of function during post-cardiac surgery rehabilitation.
Implementing Multifactorial Education Modules with Older Adults: Individualized and Interactive Fall Prevention Education

Salvador Chavez, Jocelle Flores, and Rachelle Yambao

Falls are a significant concern for community-dwelling older adults (OAs), with one in four OAs reporting a fall every year. Occupational therapy students collaborated with first responders of the Novato Fire District to identify gaps in fall prevention community outreach programs and found that many interventions lack an interactive or individualized approach. Based on the gap analysis and current literature, seven education modules were developed to address key risk factors including home modifications, polypharmacy, fear of falling, and balance exercises. Thirty community-dwelling OAs participated in the education modules and were implemented at two senior community sites in Marin County. Participants were screened via Functional Reach Test (FRT) and completed a survey to determine their personal risk factors for falling, which guided their personalized fall prevention education. Of the participants, 90% rated their experience with the education modules as “very good” or “excellent,” and a majority rated the balance exercises as most important. The interactive 1:1 education modules are an effective and innovative method for fall prevention education and highlight the importance of client-centered treatment.
Fall Risk Reduction Using Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE)

Kayla Comer, Tiffany Huang, Kelly Schmidt, and Matthew Tong

As the population and longevity of older adults’ increases, the prevalence of falls is becoming an ever-growing issue. One in three adults aged 65 years and older experience a fall each year. Falls in older adults may lead to sedentary behavior, decreased independence, and lower quality of life. Evidence has shown that traditional exercise programs emphasizing strength and balance exercises can decrease the fall risk in older adults, but may be difficult to sustain over time. Emerging evidence suggests that exercises that are integrated into daily life may have a more lasting effect in reducing fall risk in older adults. This study explored the effectiveness of an integrated exercise program, the modified-LiFE program, in decreasing fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. Results supported integrative exercise programs may decrease fall risk in community-dwelling older adults with previous history of falls. Therefore, integrating exercises into daily life offers occupational therapists an effective occupation-based intervention that promotes safety, independence, and quality of life for older adults.
A Collaborative Approach to School-Based Sensorimotor Programs

Brooke Czuleger, Emily Garnica, Jessica Phung, and Maciej Rzepka

In the past decade, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disabilities (ID), has increased. Sensory processing is an area of need for individuals with ASD and ID that requires specialized interventions. In best practices, these services are delivered by an interdisciplinary team, often consisting of an occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, behaviorist and special education teacher. Yet, to date there has been limited research examining interdisciplinary collaboration with the many professionals on the team. The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the interdisciplinary team practices at a special education center in Northern California. This research employed interview methods and qualitative analysis. Results informed a conceptual practice model for collaboration as a highly intentional practice. The model depicts sensory needs of individual students and thusly sensorimotor programming for the classroom as a priority for the interdisciplinary team. Final themes from the analysis as essential to collaboration were: taking action, communicating, addressing barriers, reinforcing team values and understanding interdisciplinary roles. Implications for practice include advocating for the scope of OT, active engagement in the collaborative process at the IEP level, taking leadership roles, creating opportunities for collaboration, engagement in dialogue with administration and formal inservice training.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Abilities Care Approach™ Training

Michelle E. D'Amato, Sophie E. Miller, April Perez, Carmen Joaquin, and Louiza Alexandria Villarina

Approximately 50% of US nursing home residents have a diagnosis of dementia. Abilities Care Approach® was created by occupational therapists (OTs) to promote quality dementia care for residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are often the primary caregiver for residents with dementia. To ensure carryover of ACA principles, ACE dementia training was targeted towards CNAs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Abilities Care Experts®(ACE) training program which provides CNAs with an occupation-based dementia care approach by focusing on the importance of occupational engagement and knowledge of dementia stages. Results indicated that ACE trained CNAs (N=13) had significantly higher levels of self-efficacy, knowledge of dementia care approaches, and perceived knowledge of dementia compared to non ACE trained CNAs (N=16). Findings demonstrate the importance of caregiver training focused on strategies to facilitate occupational engagement at each stage of dementia. OT expertise in providing stage-specific dementia care training can improve caregiving educational outcomes. Further empirical research may help to further understand the optimal use of ACA-focused dementia training programs to improve quality of care.
Gender Differences in Drinking Habits Among College Students

Margaret Anne DeMayo

Binge drinking is a common problem found among college students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six U.S. adults binge drink about four times a month, consuming about eight drinks per binge." Over time, binge drinking in college can cause negative factors for students such as, poor academics and health problems.

The purpose of my study is to evaluate how stress factors such as environment and peer relationships affect drinking habits in male and female college students. Students experience stress factors such as environment (e.g. housing), peer relationships (e.g. peer pressure, relationships), school (e.g. grade level), and appearance (e.g. body image).
Managing Fatigue with Technology for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

May Anne Gamueda, Janie Grant, America Ortega, and Jordan Song

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a mobile health application (mHealth app) will result in a decrease in fatigue and an increase in adherence to energy conservation techniques for adults with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHOD: Using a quantitative, exploratory, pretest and post-test design, we examined the use of the mHealth app, Pace My Day (PMD), by seven participants during one chosen task while incorporating energy conservation strategies for two weeks. Main outcome measures included Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).

RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the MFIS scores indicating a decrease in fatigue over the two-week period t(6)=5.75, p=0.001.

CONCLUSION: Use of mHealth apps and energy conservation strategies were found to significantly reduce levels of fatigue and increase self-perceived performance and satisfaction of task execution.
What Do We Think About Birth Order?

Jessica Garcia

Stereotypical beliefs people have of personality traits that are expected from children in relation to their birth order has become a popular area of study. Parents can be consciously or unconsciously swayed to form impressions of their children based on birth order personality attributes formed by society and family. How parents act towards their children can impact a child’s cognitive and behavioral development (Eckstein & Kaufman, 2012). Using Adler’s psychological perspective theory, the present study hypothesized that there is a positive correlation between people’s perception of birth order traits and self-reported personality. Participants were 50 adults (84% female) 18 to 62 years old and primarily recruited on a university campus. Participants completed two online surveys, both shortened forms of Big 5 personality dimensions. The Mini-IPIP was used to gather participant’s self-reported personality traits. The TIPI was used to evaluate which traits the participants expect to see from a person that has the same birth order as them. Results demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between perceptions of birth order traits and self-reported personality. This is important because it suggest that Adler’s psychological perspective theory could be a more reliable measure to use compared to Sulloway’s evolutionary theory (Eckstein et al., 2010). Findings also add validity to Adler’s claim that the type of role a child adopts and the development of characteristics are a result of its interactions with family and society. Limitations include a small sample size and inaccurate hypothesized birth order traits. This study demonstrates that it is crucial for researchers to keep in mind that the family structure is the system from which specific birth order personality traits can develop and that parents should be aware of forming impressions of their children based on stereotypical societal beliefs.
Age-Related Changes in Visual Processing Speed: A Pilot Study Using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test- 4 (MVPT-4)

Lauren Gollnick, Kassidy Ha, Stephanie Pawek, Zoe Studer, and Amber Zadravecz

Evidence reveals that visual processing speed decreases with age. The Motor-Free Visual Perception Test- Third Edition (MVPT-3) has an age-normed Response Time Index that measures visual processing speed. In 2015, a new version, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test- Fourth Edition (MVPT-4), was published. The new MVPT-4 does not yet demonstrate its utility in measuring visual processing speed. The purpose of this study was to explore if differences in visual processing speed between younger adults ages 20-35 years and older adults ages 70 years and older could be detected using the new MVPT-4. Results revealed a significant difference between older and younger adults’ time to complete the MVPT-4 (p <.05). This pilot study demonstrated that the MVPT-4 may be able to detect age-related changes in visual processing speed and therefore, a possible clinical tool for occupational therapists.
Living with Fragile X Syndrome: Occupations as an Outcome Measure in a Clinical Trial

Kaylee E. Gothelf, Ty Duong, Ana Baldinger, and Theresa Chase

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of semi-structured interviews as an outcome measure in a clinical trial for children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) ages 2-6. This qualitative approach was used to analyze twenty-five interviews of parents with children in a double-blind medication trial - sertraline or placebo. The aim was to assess occupational improvements in their child that may not have been detected with the use quantitative outcome measures alone. Results showed greater improvements in the sertraline group in areas of behavior, social participation, sensory-related behaviors, receptive language, education, family impact and therapeutic strategies. Our findings support the use of semi-structured interviews as an additional outcome measure in a medication trial to account for the voice and context of family experiences through an occupation centered lens.
The Relationship of Anxiety, Depression and Low Self-Esteem on the Tendency to have Compulsive Buying-type Behaviors

Ingrid Granados

“Retail Therapy” is a term commonly used to describe the action taken to relieve or compensate for negative feelings by purchasing things not planned or necessary. This is also considered the first phase of shopping addiction (Sohn et al, 2013), and like other behaviors (e.g., drinking alcohol, eating, gambling) these can be problematic if not done in moderation.

When shopping involves a preoccupation or uncontrollable urge to buy and also leads to significant social and financial problems, it is called Compulsive Buying (CB). This problem behavior is a cycle that maybe initiated by negative feelings, followed by a short-lived euphoria and possible long-term negative consequences. Although not officially recognized as a psychological disorder, CB is associated with impaired functioning (Gallagher et al, 2017).

Studies suggest that certain personality traits and mood disorders are factors common in people with CB. Prior research has linked individuals who met criteria for CB with significantly higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders (Harvanko et al, 2013) and greater levels of depression (Kyrios et al, 2013). This information exposes the possibility that people can behave in ways consistent with compulsive buying from time to time without meeting the diagnosis for a mental illness.

It is reasonable to suggest that if the patterns of behavior have similar origins that differ only slightly, people who demonstrate non-clinical compulsive buying tendencies may also do so to alleviate (or change) negative mood(s). Therefore it is hypothesized that occasional compulsive-buying type behaviors will be more common for individuals with higher levels of depression or anxiety and lower self-esteem.
Sleep in College Students: A Mixed Methods Study

Savannah Hancock, Jacqueline Bloom, Charlotte Sally, and Rhianna Wallace

College students in particular have chronically restricted sleep patterns and experience more daytime sleepiness, and physical and mental health issues than their same-aged peers who are not students. Sleep is an emerging area of research and intervention for occupational therapists. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate how college student’s beliefs about sleep affect their quality of sleep. This study asked: how do beliefs and attitudes about sleep affect sleep quality and participation in valued occupations in college students? Four college students were interviewed regarding their sleep beliefs and attitudes. They also completed a two-week sleep diary to determine their general sleep beliefs and attitudes and daily behavior. The interviews were coded for themes and four emerging themes were identified: a) beliefs about sleep patterns related to temporal structure of sleep, b) the impact of stress on sleep, c) occupational performance in terms of performance in the occupation of sleep and performance in all other occupations (daytime performance), and d) conflicting beliefs about sleep. Sleep diary data revealed that participants’ idealized sleep beliefs are not consistent with actual behavior. From these themes researchers concluded that college students do not have well defined beliefs and attitudes about sleep or consistent, routine sleep schedules, leading to fair sleep quality and performance of daily occupations.
Functional Cognitive Activities for Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury: Pilot Case Studies

Karen Huang, Ashley Cook, and Ajay Pala

These pilot case studies investigated the effectiveness of the Functional Cognitive Activities for Adults with Brain Injury: A Sequential Approach (FCA) in generalizing functional cognitive skills across meaningful occupations for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design consisted of two participants with TBI. Both participants received occupation-based intervention sessions twice a week and equaled a total of 14 sessions each. For pretest, the two participants were given three assessments to track changes with aspects of functional cognition and engagement in occupations: the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS), and Goal Attainment Scale (GAS). After completing the treatment sessions, the participants completed the COPM, KELS, and GAS as posttest measures. Four months later, the COPM and the GAS were administered along with a brief phone interview to determine if generalization of strategies to overcome cognitive deficits has occurred. Findings from this study provide preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of the FCA approach in improving functional cognitive skills and generalizability of skills to novel tasks in individuals with TBI.
Exploration of the Use of Sensory Diets in Occupational Therapy

Allison Hunt, Morganne Peterson, and Emily White

The purpose of this study was to fill the gap in literature and further examine the use of sensory diets in the field of occupational therapy. This study investigated the use of sensory diets among California occupational therapy practitioners. A mixed-methods design was used to collect data through a SurveyMonkey survey. The survey was sent out to members of the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) and received 98 respondents within one month. Participants worked among various clinical settings and implemented sensory diets with various client populations. Practitioners reported using terms such as “sensory strategies,” “sensory tools,” and “sensory supports” which indicates an overall misunderstanding associated with the term “sensory diet.” An alternative name that is more easily understandable and used universally would help decrease confusion among clinicians and clients. Further research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of sensory diets and how they are implemented.
Fragile X Syndrome: An Occupation Centered Analysis

Raechel Jacala, Holly Snyder, Amanda Lee, and Katelyn Harden

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), and is a genetic model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to the National Fragile X Foundation (NFXF, 2012), the disorder affects people of all ethnic backgrounds, with an estimate of 1 in 3,600 to 4,000 males and 1 in 4,000 to 6,000 females. A majority of males with FXS have an intellectual disability and up to 50-75% of males with FXS meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD (Roberts, 2016). According to the CDC, a national parent survey found that 46 percent of males and 16 percent of females with FXS have been diagnosed or treated for ASD (Bailey et al., 2008). Additionally, about 10 percent of children with ASD have another genetic and chromosomal disorder, such as FXS (Hall, Lightbody, & Reiss, 2008). Individuals living with FXS experience difficulties with social interaction, communication, sensory processing, and behavioral excesses across their lifespan (Brady et al., 2006). The purpose of our qualitative research is to examine the lived experiences of families who have been touched by FXS through an occupational therapy lens. The research seeks to understand families’ perspectives and occupations via their own voice, through semi-structured, recorded interviews. By analyzing parent routines, behaviors, thoughts, interactions, and contexts, occupational therapists can create individualized interventions and promote research to further the recognition of family values and goals they have for their child.
Influenza Vaccination in School-aged Children

Isabella Jao, Chloe McFadin, Nica Nuguid, Dan Recinto, and Kaitlin Van Ryn

Should schools in the United States require children between the ages of six months to 17 years to have flu vaccination shots? Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), every flu season varies, and an influenza infection can affect people differently. Millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized, and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. Everyone is at risk for influenza, but the highest risk lies within children who are still developing their immune systems. However, with vaccines, this risk is easily preventable and can decrease a person’s chances of acquiring the infection. As such, the CDC recommends that every person six months and older should be vaccinated annually. This is even more important for children because they attend schools where they have maximum exposure to various strains of influenza six to ten hours daily. They can easily spread and contract the disease in their school environment, specifically from children that are not vaccinated. This leads to the hypothesis that children six months to 17 years should be required to receive influenza vaccinations.
Relationship of Stressful Childhood Experiences and Ability to Deal with Stress in Adulthood

Danielle Kinney

It was suggested that individuals who experience a stressful childhood may have learned from these experiences and developed a greater ability to cope with stress as adults; this ability is independent of general self-esteem. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, a Childhood Traumatic Events Scale, the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale and a Stressful Events Questionnaire were completed by 64 participants. Comparing those who had traumatic childhood experiences with those who had not, the results showed no significant group differences for the Coping Scores. Those with traumatic childhoods had significantly lower self-esteem, and had experienced higher (but not significantly different) levels of stress during past week and also in general during past three months. It was concluded that childhood traumatic experiences have little or no observable influence on how adults cope with or respond to stressful events.
Older Adults’ Experience in Owning a Guide Dog

Jeffrey Kou, Yvonne Lam, Patricia Lyons, and Susan Nguyen

Low vision is an age-related condition that affects many older adults, and may create challenges in everyday activities in older adults. Guide dogs have been shown to be an effective assistive device that can help older adults within their community. Despite vast research on dog companionship, there is limited research on the facilitators and barriers of owning a guide dog among older adults with low vision. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the facilitators and barriers of owning a guide dog as experienced by older adults with low vision participating in Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) organization. Seven first time guide dog owners, ages 55 and older, were interviewed using semi-structured questions. Through constant comparison methods, five major themes emerged: changes in habits and routines, being a dog guide owner, increase in community integration, human-dog guide bonding, and dog guide enhances autonomy. Study results provide implications for occupational therapists (OT) of how guide dogs affect the daily living patterns of older adults. Additionally, study results provide insight for GDB and OTs into improving support and training processes.
Hiding in plain sight: Acculturative Stress and Self-Concealment Amongst Immigrant College Students

Caroline Kurema

Past research has indicated that immigrant college students experience acculturative shock and stress, arising from acculturative adjusting (Barlow, 2002; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). This study explored the potential relationships between acculturative stress, perceived social support, and self-concealment amongst immigrant college students. Further, the study examined whether social support is related to lower acculturative stress for students. It was hypothesized that strong social support would be negatively related to acculturative stress, and that self-concealment would be positively related to acculturative stress.

Results indicate that there was a significant positive relationship between self-concealment and acculturative stress in this sample, indicating that participants who utilized self-concealment also experienced higher levels of acculturative stress. On the other hand, no relationship was found between perceived social support and acculturative stress. Findings indicate that immigrant students with a high level of self-concealment also experience difficulty acculturating to the culture in which they currently live. This has implications for immigration students’ ability to engage fully in school and for educational policy acculturative stress.
The Rise of Anxiety Among the College Age Population

Kaleigh Landberg

Anxiety among college students is a common occurrence today. This study has researched how students are dealing with this mental health issue as well as looked into many different variables that were incorporated such as gender differences, treatment options, potential triggers and coping mechanisms.
Sustaining Millennials in Careers: A Comparison of Entering and Veteran Teacher's Views

Michelle K. LeMieux

Staffing secondary schools has become difficult in the past 10 years in conjunction with a changing and challenging economy for Millennials. Secondary school leaders are having problems finding, employing, and retaining content specialists each school year due to the lack of trained teachers to fill positions left by large numbers of retirees. The problem is there is a need for content specialists in secondary schools and only a limited number of new teachers, which is insufficient in replacing retirees, leaving educational leaders scrambling to fill positions each year. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that are deterring Millennials in their first few years of teaching from remaining in their positions as educators and how those differ from veteran teachers who have taught for 10 or more years. A review of the literature revealed that a changing economy, coming into adulthood during a recession, lack of financial incentive, and lack of support are major deterrents for many teachers. This is a qualitative study that uses responses to surveys to gather information to explain the challenges new teachers face and the causes of the current teacher shortage.
Therapeutic Listening® - Quickshifts Support for Pediatric Intervention

Bryant Luong, Ann Malloy, and Shannon Preto

Few empirical studies have been conducted to provide evidence for the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening - Quickshifts (TL-Q). Anecdotally, TL-Q has produced consistent positive results for therapists and clients as a pediatric intervention. Therefore, it is imperative to research TL-Q’s efficacy, which may lead to its broader implementation. In this study, the researchers examined the effectiveness of TL-Q intervention for children with sensory processing difficulties to improve participation and function in 1) school performance, (2) self-regulation and arousal, (3) activities of daily living (ADLs), (4) social/emotional skills, and (5) sensorimotor skills. Over the course of an 8 week prospective study, the researchers conducted a pre-test, post-test case study. During the intervention period, TL-Q expert therapists adjusted the specific musical track depending on the needs of the specific child. Results showed an overall positive increase in quantitative scores and a qualitative feedback. Most notably, in the areas of social emotional skills and sensorimotor skills. This study provided evidence for the support of TL-Q in the clinical setting and developed an effective protocol for future research.
Common Factors Related to Illicit Substance Use Among Nurses in North America

Madison Marshall, Reinelle Regala, Lucy Gray, Emma Pedlar, and Samantha Naguit

The prevalence of illicit substance use among registered nurses, though not widely studied or addressed, is understood to be an essential issue facing healthcare professionals. An impaired nurse is defined as someone who has impaired functioning as a result of substance abuse and it interferes with their professional judgment and ability to deliver safe, high quality care. Registered nurses have access to many high-controlled prescription medications, with little oversight, and the opportunity for substance abuse is significant. In our research, we studied the risk factors, the prevalence, and the preventative measures involved in addressing illicit substance use among nurses.
Protective Factors and Resilience in Older Adults

Jessica McClain, Caroline Lee, and Katelyn Gullatt

We sought to investigate whether three protective factors, (physical health, social support, and self-efficacy) predict resilience in Marin County older adults to promote successful aging in place. Fifty-eight Marin County participants aged 62 years and older participated in an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study. Recruited from senior community programs and personal contacts, participants completed four self-report questionnaires. Descriptive and multivariate analyses using SPSS were conducted to investigate the relationship between the key variables. Of the three protective factors, self-efficacy is the most important predictor of resilience. Physical health and social support are important predictors of self-efficacy. In conclusion, three protective factors influence resilience, especially self-efficacy, and should be incorporated into occupational therapy interventions to build resilience in older adults.