Author ORCID Identifier
0009-0001-6395-4472
Document Type
Capstone
Publication Date
2026
Keywords
occupational therapy, sports mental performance, educational resource, advocacy, athletes
Department
<--Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences-->
Abstract
Occupational Therapy’s (OT’s) role in sports mental performance remains an underrecognized and emerging area of practice, with limited awareness among OTs, a lack of available educational resources, and currently no established pathway into the field. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to increase awareness of OT’s role in sports mental performance through the development and evaluation of a comprehensive educational resource. The educational resource included a digital portfolio, recorded PowerPoint lecture, educational Instagram content, and a Linktree that organized all project materials into one accessible location. Four licensed OTs completed a Qualtrics pre-resource knowledge checklist, reviewed the educational resource, and participated in semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis to identify common themes related to participants' perceptions and learning experiences. Findings demonstrated increased awareness of OT’s role in sports mental performance, positive perceptions of the educational resource, and recognition of OT’s unique contributions to athlete performance and well-being. Participants also emphasized the importance of continued advocacy, mentorship, and education to support growth within this emerging area of practice. Overall, this project demonstrated that the educational resource increased awareness of OT’s role in sports mental performance and provided a foundation for future research, education, advocacy, and the continued growth of OT within sports settings.
Recommended Citation
Scarantino, Gianna N., "Advancing Occupational Therapy in Sports: Bridging the Gap in Mental Performance" (2026). Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship. 5.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/occupational_therapy_students/5
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
