Occupational Therapy Faculty-mentored Research Culminates in Chapter Publication & Graduate Presentation
In the occupational therapy (OT) department, small groups of graduate students partner with faculty mentors to develop their knowledge about, and competencies in, the research process. Throughout their graduate year, the students engage in a diversity of projects that may include (but are not limited to) the formulation of research questions, critical reviews of the literature, project design, data collection, and/or data analysis.
When the editors of the third edition of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) textbook: The Texture of Life: Purposeful Activities in Occupational Therapy asked Dr. Rita Fleming-Castaldy, OTL, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, to assume authorship of a chapter on empowerment in OT practice, she integrated this scholarly endeavor into her faculty-mentored research work. Dr. Fleming-Castaldy’s research group – comprised of Allison Amole ’09, Allison Kearney ’09, Colleen Scannell ’09, Lauren Siconolfi ’09, and Nicole Spaldo ’09 – embraced the opportunity to learn more about the relationship between empowerment and occupational therapy. Each member of this research cohort chose an individual area of interest and completed a comprehensive critical multidisciplinary literature review regarding the theoretical foundations of empowerment and current practices. They engaged in intense scholarly debate in and out of their scheduled research seminars about the relevance, meaning and value of empowerment to all persons that OT practitioners serve. This research cohort continuously discussed their research and critically reflected on the barriers and challenges to the implementation of empowering practices in OT. They identified the vital importance of advocating for the empowerment of all persons with disabilities and other disenfranchised populations, and critiqued the chapter’s proposed learning activities. The work of Dr. Fleming-Castaldy’s research cohort significantly contributed to the development of her chapter entitled “Activities, Human Occupation, Participation, and Empowerment” and is acknowledged in the published text. These students presented their research during the OT Department’s Third Annual Celebration of Scholars, the 2008 PCPS’ Community Celebration of Scholars, and the University’s 9th Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship. Post-graduation, this cohesive research cohort collaborated to complete a conference presentation proposal for the 2010 annual national AOTA conference, which was favorably reviewed by a juried conference committee. Consequently, this graduate research group will reunite in Orlando, Fla., to present its work, entitled “Occupational Therapy and Empowerment throughout the Lifespan: A Critical Review and Recommendations for Practice.”
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