Browsing by Author "Richardson, Nicole"

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    Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Interventions to Promote Social Participation in Children and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
    (2023-05) Chelmella, Payton; Jackman, Ellie; Negash, Shushan; Richardson, Nicole; Vaccaro, Hannah; Chase, Tony; Sego, Daniel; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences
    A systematic review of the literature related to effective occupational therapy interventions on socialization for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This review provides a comprehensive overview and discussion of 25 studies that addressed the variety of interventions that can be used when targeting social skills including sensory integration, animal-assisted interventions, technology, play, school-based, and caregiver-assisted interventions. The findings reveal that the use of these interventions is clinically significant yet there is limited evidence to support generalizability to the population. This review supports the premise that children and adolescents with ASD who experience socialization challenges as compared to typically developing peers can improve their social skills through these interventions.
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    Optimizing Educational Resources for Upper Extremity Conditions in Occupational Therapy
    (2025-05-05) Richardson, Nicole; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Brake, Holly
    Upper extremity conditions or injuries significantly impact individuals' ability to participate in daily occupations. Access to clear, accurate, and patient-friendly educational materials is essential for promoting self-management and adherence to treatment recommendations. This doctoral capstone project aimed to develop and evaluate educational resources to be used within an outpatient hand therapy clinic. Key components of the project included completing a comprehensive needs assessment, reviewing current evidence-based practices, and implementing updated materials to support patient education. The resulting materials improved patient understanding of their diagnosis and treatment and supported the overall delivery of occupational therapy services. This project highlights the role of occupational therapy in providing patient education and the importance of accessible, well-designed resources in the hand therapy setting.