Date of Award
5-2026
Document Type
Oral Presentation/Poster
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Health Science
Faculty Mentor
Megan Johnke
Keywords
occupational therapy, maternal health, infant health, family education
Subject Categories
Occupational Therapy
Abstract
The transition to parenthood is accompanied by monumental changes in health, wellness, roles, and routines. These changes impact an individual's ability to participate in their daily activities and particularly for mothers, this experience impacts her entire life. Through this transition, parents must not only participate in their own occupations but also learn how to advocate and care for their child(ren). However, families are provided very limited educational resources to prepare them for this transition. Occupational therapy can bridge the gap in family preparedness by utilizing evidence-based education to address physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. Occupational therapy education can advise parents in expected caregiving tasks, routine development, infant needs, and environmental adaptations to improve participation in daily activities. This project sought to create an occupational therapy-based educational program to improve parental confidence and knowledge in order to encourage informed caretaking and health decisions for themselves and their children. This program was designed for both families hospitalized following birth or medical complications and those within the local community. Additionally, this program aimed to increase the awareness of occupational therapy services to increase utilization of OT in patient care. Results regarding increased parental confidence and knowledge were inconclusive due to difficulty with participation. However, this program resulted in an increase of awareness for OT services, particularly within maternal and infant health. Further research and implementation of multimodal educational strategies are needed to increase participation and competence with this population.
Recommended Citation
McConnell, Grace L., "Blooming Beginnings: An Occupational Therapy Approach to Helping Families Grow" (2026). Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations. 168.
https://red.library.usd.edu/ot-capstone/168