Soon-to-be graduates of UBC’s Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program recently gathered for the 11th annual Capstone Conference. During the day-long event, hosted by the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, MOT students showcased findings from research conducted over the course of their final year of the program.
This year, under the supervision of faculty members, as well as academics and clinicians in the field, the graduating class of 2016 designed and executed nearly 30 research projects — each set to contribute new developments in field of occupational therapy. Half of the projects have already been presented at national or international conferences, and nearly a third are set to be published in peer-reviewed journals.
Here, a selection of students share their discoveries, and talk about where there’s room for their research to go next.
2016 Capstone Conference research highlights
Are scooter users receiving the training they need?
Powered scooters have become a popular choice for many Canadians faced with mobility issues.
But without adequate training, users can put themselves — and others — at risk of serious injury. Recent research has found as few as 25 per cent of scooter users receive formal training.
In an effort to determine the training needs of scooter users, UBC occupational therapy students — Julie Deveau and Catharine Eckersley — recently spoke to a number of users to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they face.
Let’s talk about sexual rehabilitation
In 2009, in an effort to encourage conversations around sexual rehabilitation, a group of UBC occupational therapy students created a sexual device manual designed for people with disabilities in mind.
Today, seven years after PleasureAble was first published, a new team of occupational therapy students — Marina Khenson and Chelsey Tyler — are looking at how the resource could be further improved to support those living with spinal cord injuries.
A closer look
Canadian adults who have vision impairments face higher rates of unemployment and are at a greater risk of social isolation and clinical depression.
To gain a better understanding of how stigma influences daily activities and opportunities for people with visual impairments, UBC occupational therapy students — Andrea Smith and Taku Kawai — recently spoke with a number of legally blind individuals.
What are the needs of people with mental illness living in metro Vancouver?
Personal recovery is an overarching goal when it comes to mental health services in Canada. But until now, little research has looked at what recovery means to those living with mental illness.
Over the past year, UBC occupational therapy students — Sophia Bobovski and Marieka Gerding — set out to gain a better understanding of the personal recovery needs of urban-dwelling adults living with serious mental illness in metro Vancouver.
For a full list of student research projects, visit the 2016 Capstone Conference website.