Browsing by Author "Banks, Riley"

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    Occupation-Based Group Interventions Impacting Social Participation For Autistic Children and Adolescents: A Rapid Systematic Review
    (2022-05) Oleshchuk, Oksana; Legue, Anna; Gibbons, Molly; Banks, Riley; Chase, Tony; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences
    This rapid systematic review examines the literature on effective group interventions targeting social participation in autistic children and adolescents. Autistic youth often receive occupational therapy with social participation being a distinct targeted outcome. However, recent advocacy has introduced a need for reducing social skills training in favor of client-centered social participation, which can be done through the lens of occupational therapy’s unique core values. This review provides an overview and analysis of 20 studies that addressed a wide range of occupation-based group interventions in the areas of art, play, physical activity, school-based, and social skills group training (SSGT). Findings reveal moderate strength of evidence for the use of occupation-based group interventions in enhancing social participation in autistic children and adolescents, limited mostly by lack of blinding in studies. This review supports the use of group occupation-based interventions which can widen, inform, and guide the intervention approaches for occupational therapy practitioners working with this population.
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    Recognizing and Modifying Environmental Factors to Support Gifted Students’ Sensory Processing in the School Environment
    (2024) Banks, Riley; Nguyen, Elizabeth; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Fritz, Tiffany
    Gifted students have a higher prevalence of emotional sensitivities that may be related to sensory processing difficulties. Thus, ensuring sensory inclusivity in a school environment for exclusively gifted students is essential to supporting socio-emotional and learning outcomes. Within a local school for gifted students, many environmental barriers and sensory processing vulnerabilities were identified. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to identify specific sensory needs of the population and make social and physical environmental accommodations accordingly. Results of the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM-2) for 30 participating students indicated a high prevalence of sensory difficulties among the student population. The teachers and teacher aides participated in weekly discussions with the doctoral capstone student to discuss findings of students’ sensory processing patterns, available accommodations through occupational therapy (OT), and opportunities for implementation of sensory resources and interventions in the classrooms. The doctoral capstone student also modified the physical environment of their clinic rooms to reduce visual stimulation. Preliminary results from interviews with teachers indicated increased knowledge and awareness of sensory processing patterns and opportunities for social and physical environmental modifications. The doctoral capstone student recommended that the site reduce physical environmental stimuli and increase opportunities for sensory experiences throughout the school day to support sustainability of OT services provided through a community based approach.