Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

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  Holistic Healing through Horses: An Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Equine-Assisted Services and Associated Pilot Program

  Catherine M. Balestrini and Kathleen Hughes-Butcher

  Holistic Healing through Horses: An Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Equine-Assisted Services and Associated Pilot Program was an occupational therapy doctoral capstone project conducted through Misericordia University. This project involved the implementation of equine-assisted services to improve occupational capabilities of physically disabled community-dwelling adults and research related to interdisciplinary collaboration in the equine-assisted service industry. The education component of this capstone disseminated information regarding safe techniques and procedures for volunteers involved in the Holistic Healing through Horses program. The program component of Holistic Healing through Horses involved 12 weekly sessions designed to target goal areas of the respective participants. Progress tracking of occupation-based goals and clinical pathways for skill progression were utilized to design these sessions. Results indicated marked individualized improvements in strength, range of motion, quality of life, occupational performance, and participation. The research component, Holistic Healing through Horses: Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Evaluation in Equine-Assisted Services, an anonymous online survey, aimed to increase knowledge regarding perceived benefits and barriers of equine-assisted service provision in an interdisciplinary context. The survey gathered feedback regarding the use of the novel Equine-Assisted Services Evaluation Tool. Results indicated that there is a lack of clear, structured interdisciplinary collaboration between professionals providing equine-assisted services and desire for hands-on training and structured assessment tools. The Occupation-Based Practice in Equine-Assisted Services manual, a comprehensive guide to encouraging the practice of equine-assisted services, was then developed to encourage service providers to consider and prioritize the daily occupations of respective clients and to encourage future initiatives in this domain.

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  First Steps: Supporting Infant Development and Family Bonding

  Katana M. Evans

  First Steps: Supporting Infant Development and Family Bonding is a capstone project that was developed to bring awareness to the importance of development within the first few months of life, as well as exploring occupational therapy’s role with this population. The project focused on areas of program development, education, and clinical skill development, which were all developed following the completion of a scoping review. Educational materials, including a video library, were created for families to continue to access materials following the completion of the experience. These videos covered topics including safe sleep, milestones, tummy time, and more. Additionally, two sessions of the pediatric workshop series were run to educate occupational therapy students on intervention strategies for working with families transitioning into parenting roles. Individual educational sessions were implemented in partnership with Pathways Pregnancy Center to provide low-income families with evidence-based education on infant care and development. Throughout the process of planning sessions, health literacy principles were considered and applied to all topics to ensure that the material was understandable by the intended audience. Topics included safe sleep, tummy time, milestones, play development, and more. Lastly, the doctoral candidate was mentored by two occupational therapists who work directly with infants and families using a family-centered care model for service delivery. Through this experience, the doctoral candidate was able to refine skills related to cue-based infant care, documentation, goal writing, clinical reasoning, and more.

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  Little Minds, Big Emotions

  Marissa Fattorusso

  Little Minds, Big Emotions is a doctoral capstone project designed to support the development of emotional regulation skills in preschool-aged children through the areas of program development, education, and clinical skills development. Emotional regulation is an essential component of children' s participation, social interactions, and overall well-being, yet many young children experience difficulties identifying emotions and using effective calming strategies. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and implement a developmentally appropriate, play-based emotional regulation curriculum for preschool children while also providing educational resources for caregivers. This program was implemented three days a week for 14 weeks at a daycare and included structured group activities focused on emotional identification, self-regulation and calming strategies, positive peer interactions, and problem-solving skills. Educational components of this capstone also included the development of videos and handouts to promote carryover of emotional regulation strategies into the home environment, as well as two presentations delivered through the Pediatric Workshop Series at Misericordia University. Additionally, this capstone included clinical skills development under mentorship at an outpatient pediatric setting, with a strong focus on emotional regulation and interoception. Outcome measures for this capstone included behavioral observations, emotion-labeling, caregiver surveys, pre and posttests, and Goal Attainment Scaling. Findings supported the ability of the capstone to enhance emotional regulation skills in children, increase caregiver confidence, support OT student learning, and increase personal clinical skills. Overall, the project demonstrated the value of occupational therapy in promoting emotional regulation through developmentally appropriate, play-based, and educational interventions across multiple settings.

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  Rheumatic Resilience: An Occupational Therapy Approach

  Shannon N. O'Donnell

  Rheumatic conditions affect nearly one in four adults in the United States (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.) and are characterized by chronic, often progressive symptoms, requiring long-term self-management. Despite this need, accessible and non-pharmacological resources remain limited. The capstone project, Rheumatic Resilience: An Occupational Therapy Approach, was developed to address this gap by promoting sustainable symptom management strategies through programming and education, while increasing awareness of occupational therapy (OT)’s role in chronic pain management. This project focused on areas of program development, education, clinical practice, and advocacy. A 10-week, in-person program based on Lifestyle Redesign principles was developed to increase the quality of life of adults with rheumatic conditions. Education was reinforced through a video series aligned with in-person content, expanding access to individuals unable to attend sessions or residing outside Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA), and is publicly available on Misericordia University’s website. To support clinical skill development alongside educational experience, the capstone student contributed to creating a Level I fieldwork experience in pain education and management, while also providing instruction to fieldwork students and participants on occupation-based pain management strategies. Advocacy efforts included the development and distribution of an evidence-based resource highlighting the value of OT in chronic pain management to rheumatologists across NEPA. The capstone project supported adults living with rheumatic conditions by providing accessible, evidence-based education and resources while advocating for the unique role of OT in chronic pain management.

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  Embracing the Green Thumb: Occupation-Based Resources for Stroke Recovery

  Brianna Padovano

  Stroke recovery requires ongoing effort from survivors, caregivers, practitioners, and communities to promote meaningful participation in long-term engagement in daily life. Despite the growing amount of evidence supporting continued recovery beyond the acute stages of stroke, accessible resources that address the needs of these stakeholder groups remain limited (Chen et al., 2019). This doctoral capstone experience aimed to bridge these gaps through the development and dissemination of educational, clinical, and advocacy-based resources designed to support stroke rehabilitation across various stakeholders. An evidence-informed, occupation-based stroke recovery guide, which includes relevant theories, decision-making flowcharts, sample protocols, and resources, was created for new graduate and emerging occupational therapy practitioners entering stroke rehabilitation. Educational materials, such as a stroke-specific video series, caregiver support sessions, and the implementation of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) based lab, provided various stakeholders with accessible materials to reference in their own contexts. Finally, a letter-writing campaign to the local, state, and federal legislators was implemented to advocate and increase awareness of the comprehensive needs that chronic stroke survivors face. Evaluation measures included participant feedback, confidence assessments, engagement measures, and practitioner surveys across the components of the capstone. Altogether, the findings demonstrate a continued need for accessible resources, caregiver support, practitioner guidance, and advocacy efforts related to stroke rehabilitation. Participants reported overall increased confidence, knowledge, and awareness across multiple project initiatives, emphasizing the value of awareness, knowledge translation, and advocacy to support occupation-based services. The outcomes of this project highlight the potential impact of multidisciplinary resources and community engagement efforts on enhancing support systems for individuals navigating the chronic phase of stroke recovery.