Abstract
OTs and service dogs specialize in helping people to live their lives as independently as possible. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a program combining service dog education and information about careers in OT would improve understanding of service dogs and increase knowledge and pique interest in OT careers for 7th- to 12th-grade students. The Professor Paws Project model of combining service dog education with OT career education is a successful model.
Primary Author and Speaker: Mary Isaacson
Additional Authors and Speakers: Shelby Dickerson, Kelsey Jarolim
Both service dogs and occupational therapists specialize in helping people to live their lives as independently as possible. Yet the general public has limited knowledge about either. The Professor Paws Project (PPP) is a service dog educational program established by a Midwestern university. The PPP created a program to provide interactive education about careers in OT and about service dogs in an effort to raise awareness about both. The purpose of this study was to determine if a program combining service dog education and information about careers in OT would improve understanding of service dogs and their purpose, as well as increase knowledge and peak interest in OT careers for 7th-12th grade students. We hypothesized that interactive presentations about OT careers and service dogs would significantly increase middle and high school student's knowledge of and interest in these topics. Middle and high school administrators were contacted and asked if they were interested in participating in an interactive educational program about careers in OT and service dogs. OT faculty and graduate research assistants developed and taught the program. The program included a lecture to answer the question: what is occupational therapy? It included examples and information about careers in OT. Students were then educated about the different therapeutic uses and benefits of service dogs, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and how to behave around a service dog. The program concluded with an interactive demonstration of tasks that service dogs can do to help people. Students were given a pretest-posttest retrospective survey which included questions around knowledge and interest in OT careers and knowledge about service dogs. In addition, students were given the opportunity to identify what they learned. Participants were students ranging from 11-18 years of age in middle and high schools across Northeastern Oklahoma (N = 735). Data was collected from students using a retrospective survey. Students were retrospectively asked about their knowledge and interest in occupational therapy and service dogs before and after the presentation using a 10-point Likert scale. A paired sample T-Test was used to determine change in knowledge and interest about OT and service dogs. Students were also asked to identify two things that they learned from the presentation. Qualitative data was coded and themes identified. Results indicate an increase in knowledge and interest in occupational therapy. The difference in knowledge of OT before to after training was significant (t = -41.604, P < 0.00) as was interest in OT as a career before to after training (t = -21.529, P < 0.00). Results indicate an increase in knowledge about service dogs. The difference in knowledge of service dogs before to after training was significant (t = -31.225, P < 0.00). Qualitative data further supports the increase in knowledge, especially in the areas of types of service dogs, how to act around service dogs, laws surrounding service dogs, and understanding occupational therapy. The results of this study clearly suggest that student's knowledge and interest in OT and knowledge about service dogs increased as a result of this program. As a profession that has recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, it is imperative that we continue to educate stakeholders, students, and the community about our profession. In addition, we must continue to educate and advocate on behalf of the clients we serve. This education must be innovative and timely, starting with middle and high school students, so that the profession continues to grow and thrive. The Professor Paws Project model of combining service dog education with education about careers in OT is a successful model.
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