OTD Capstone Projects

Abstract

This doctoral capstone project was completed in collaboration with Bridges for Parkinson’s (B4PD), an associate of Rock Steady Boxing. B4PD is a wellness organization that offers fitness classes tailored to the needs of adults with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Sleep disturbance is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of PD and was an identified need of the population at B4PD. This project aimed to address sleep needs through comprehensive individualized sleep hygiene programs based on a series of consultations. A sleep diary, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a semi structured interview were used to assess sleep disturbances. The PSQI from the evaluation was analyzed and results indicated that waking at night was the most frequent sleep disturbance. Results from a Pearson correlation demonstrated a positive correlation between subjective sleep scores and total PSQI scores, but it was not significant. Some sleep dairies demonstrated and increase in quantity of sleep for 30 minutes to an hour. Qualitative reports demonstrated a positive experience and some improvement in sleep. Information from consultation research was compiled into a comprehensive sleep hygiene guide for future needs regarding sleep.

Publication Date

4-22-2025

Faculty Mentor

Sandra Stevens

Department

Occupational Therapy, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Poster

Degree

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

Occupational therapy, Parkinson’s Disease, sleep hygiene, sleep disturbance

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