Date of Award
11-12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
School Name
College of Health Professions
Department
Health Professions
Major Advisor
Dr. Barbara Jackson
Abstract
In the post-COVID era of healthcare, a new pandemic of burnout has taken hold of healthcare professionals. Burnout has been found to negatively impact patient outcomes and well-being of healthcare professionals. Resilience training has been found to be effective in reducing burnout and burnout symptoms in healthcare professionals and health profession students. However, research specific to occupational therapy and occupational therapy students is limited. This study asks the central question: Within graduate level Occupational Therapy programs, what do faculty members perceive are the barriers and supports to implementing resilience training within Occupational Therapy education? 14 faculty members teaching graduate level occupational therapy students across the United States provided insight on their lived experience with implementing resilience training.
After analyzing the data, the Pathway to Resilience was uncovered with themes that had emerged from the data. These themes include (a) Missing Pieces on the Path, (b) Crossing Generational Bridges, (c) Forks in the Road, (d) Guardrails of Care, (e) Many Roads to One Destination, and (f) Paving the Way Forward. These themes discuss the impact of a lack of training, time constraints, generational differences, student/faculty buy in, and faculty concerns for student perceptions when implementing resilience training. Current delivery models and faculty insights on how to move forward with implementing resilience training are also conveyed in the themes. Based on the study results, it is recommended that resilience training is incorporated into graduate level occupational therapy education in fieldwork courses, mental health courses, or during student advising. The findings of this study have implications for practice, education, and research. Integration of resilience training in occupational therapy education is recommended to best prepare future occupational therapists for the rigors of practice. Further research is needed to understand the best models for delivery and the long-term impact on occupational therapy practitioners when resilience training is introduced during their education. Improved preventative approaches to reducing burnout and its symptoms could lead to less turnover in the field of occupational therapy as well as practitioners that are happier and healthier.
Recommended Citation
Rice, Brooke, "Resilience Training in Occupational Therapy Education" (2025). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones. 208.
https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/tdc/208