{"id":{"repo_id":"utc","oai_identifier":"oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-2167"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/utc/oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-2167","repository":{"repo_id":"utc","name":"University of Tennessee - Chattanooga","base_url":"https://scholar.utc.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Assessing the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education","abstract":"The purpose of this study was to assess the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education. By analyzing the perceptions of Occupational Therapy Doctorate graduates, site mentors, and faculty mentors, using the eight key indicators of a high-impact practice the researcher sought to understand the value and impact of the doctoral capstone experience. A single case study design was used to survey graduates, faculty mentors, and site mentors who participated in the doctoral capstone from 2017-2024. Using a generic qualitative research approach to investigate the research questions, the researcher utilized both survey questionnaire data and interview data to further evaluate the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. Quantitative data were used to analyze the relationship between doctoral capstone emphasis and non-traditional employment. Results indicate that graduates, faculty, and site mentors perceive the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. While findings did not reveal a significant correlation between the capstone area of emphasis and non-traditional employment, results highlight how the doctoral capstone continues to address a critical need within the profession by broadening the understanding and application of occupational therapy in non-traditional settings, ultimately extending the reach and impact of the profession.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this study was to assess the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education. By analyzing the perceptions of Occupational Therapy Doctorate graduates, site mentors, and faculty mentors, using the eight key indicators of a high-impact practice the researcher sought to understand the value and impact of the doctoral capstone experience. A single case study design was used to survey graduates, faculty mentors, and site mentors who participated in the doctoral capstone from 2017-2024. Using a generic qualitative research approach to investigate the research questions, the researcher utilized both survey questionnaire data and interview data to further evaluate the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. Quantitative data were used to analyze the relationship between doctoral capstone emphasis and non-traditional employment. Results indicate that graduates, faculty, and site mentors perceive the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. While findings did not reveal a significant correlation between the capstone area of emphasis and non-traditional employment, results highlight how the doctoral capstone continues to address a critical need within the profession by broadening the understanding and application of occupational therapy in non-traditional settings, ultimately extending the reach and impact of the profession.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Melhorn, Erin"],"institution":"University of Tennessee at Chattanooga","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Crawford, Elizabeth K.","Rausch, David W.; Taylor, Jessica; Cruz, Elicia","College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:47:21Z","subjects":["Occupational therapists--Education (Graduate)--United States","Occupational therapy--Study and teaching (Graduate)--United States","Universities and colleges--Graduate work"],"languages":["English","eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/985","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Crawford, Elizabeth K.","Rausch, David W.; Taylor, Jessica; Cruz, Elicia","College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Melhorn, Erin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-05-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Tennessee at Chattanooga","Chattanooga (Tenn.)"]},{"key":"dc:relation","label":"Dc Relation","values":["Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Doctoral dissertations","Text"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Occupational therapists--Education (Graduate)--United States","Occupational therapy--Study and teaching (Graduate)--United States","Universities and colleges--Graduate work"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English","eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/985"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning","Ph. D.; A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to assess the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education. By analyzing the perceptions of Occupational Therapy Doctorate graduates, site mentors, and faculty mentors, using the eight key indicators of a high-impact practice the researcher sought to understand the value and impact of the doctoral capstone experience. A single case study design was used to survey graduates, faculty mentors, and site mentors who participated in the doctoral capstone from 2017-2024. Using a generic qualitative research approach to investigate the research questions, the researcher utilized both survey questionnaire data and interview data to further evaluate the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. Quantitative data were used to analyze the relationship between doctoral capstone emphasis and non-traditional employment. Results indicate that graduates, faculty, and site mentors perceive the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. While findings did not reveal a significant correlation between the capstone area of emphasis and non-traditional employment, results highlight how the doctoral capstone continues to address a critical need within the profession by broadening the understanding and application of occupational therapy in non-traditional settings, ultimately extending the reach and impact of the profession."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Assessing the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Crawford, Elizabeth K.","Rausch, David W.; Taylor, Jessica; Cruz, Elicia","College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies"],"dc:creator":["Melhorn, Erin"],"dc:date":["2025-05-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description":["Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning","Ph. D.; A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy."],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to assess the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education. By analyzing the perceptions of Occupational Therapy Doctorate graduates, site mentors, and faculty mentors, using the eight key indicators of a high-impact practice the researcher sought to understand the value and impact of the doctoral capstone experience. A single case study design was used to survey graduates, faculty mentors, and site mentors who participated in the doctoral capstone from 2017-2024. Using a generic qualitative research approach to investigate the research questions, the researcher utilized both survey questionnaire data and interview data to further evaluate the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. Quantitative data were used to analyze the relationship between doctoral capstone emphasis and non-traditional employment. Results indicate that graduates, faculty, and site mentors perceive the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice. While findings did not reveal a significant correlation between the capstone area of emphasis and non-traditional employment, results highlight how the doctoral capstone continues to address a critical need within the profession by broadening the understanding and application of occupational therapy in non-traditional settings, ultimately extending the reach and impact of the profession."],"dc:identifier":["https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/985"],"dc:language":["English","eng"],"dc:publisher":["University of Tennessee at Chattanooga","Chattanooga (Tenn.)"],"dc:relation":["Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations"],"dc:rights":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Occupational therapists--Education (Graduate)--United States","Occupational therapy--Study and teaching (Graduate)--United States","Universities and colleges--Graduate work"],"dc:title":["Assessing the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education"],"dc:type":["Doctoral dissertations","Text"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:47:21Z"}