Award Date

5-15-2026

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Department

Brain Health

First Committee Member

Sharon Jalene

Number of Pages

65

Abstract

Social-emotional learning (SEL) supports the development of emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and meaningful participation in academic environments. Increasing regulatory demands within classrooms highlight the need for structured approaches that support both educators and students in maintaining engagement and fostering positive learning environments. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are uniquely positioned to collaborate with educators to integrate regulation-focused strategies within daily classroom routines.This quality improvement project aimed to develop and implement an OT-informed SEL program for educators serving students with diverse learning needs. Teachers received consultation and tailored SEL strategies, implemented them for 5 weeks, and provided feedback on their effects on regulation and classroom climate. Guided by the Occupational Adaptation (OA) model, the project conceptualized regulation as an adaptive response to classroom demands, emphasizing the dynamic interaction between individuals and their learning environment. The anticipated outcomes included improved regulation among educators and students and the promotion of a more positive classroom climate. This project highlighted the role of OT in supporting sustainable SEL integration to enhance classroom functioning.

Controlled Subject

Occupational therapy; Classroom environment--Psychological aspects; Classroom management

Disciplines

Education | Medicine and Health Sciences | Occupational Therapy | Rehabilitation and Therapy

File Format

PDF

File Size

4800 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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