Date of Award

4-2023

Degree Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Candice Lake

Second Advisor

Keili Scott

Third Advisor

Holly Grieves

Abstract

This 14-week capstone project aimed to develop and implement meaningful modifications to an early intensive behavioral intervention center from an occupational therapy (OT) perspective. An evidence-based evaluation of the existing program was conducted, and it was identified that parents of children 18 months to 6 years old with autism lacked the awareness of available resources to support their overall quality of life. A new process was developed and implemented for parents to get connected with resources that met their current needs, resulting in a total of 18 different categories of resources. Parents also received education regarding caregiver burnout and developmental milestones in the form of newsletters and blog posts. The program resulted in decreased depression and anxiety, improved satisfaction with life, improved felt control, and improved sense of involvement and support from the community for parents. Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) received training on parent resources and education for sustainability. BCBAs also received education on OT’s scope of practice to increase future collaborations. Results showed that the program improved BCBAs confidence levels and satisfaction levels regarding the available resources for parents. Overall, this capstone project helped spread awareness on how OT can benefit parents of children with autism and BCBAs.

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