Lindsey T. Wetteland first heard of occupational therapy (OT) when she was a freshman at a Florida college , which did not have an OT program. For her junior year, Lindsey, a native of Orlando, came north to enroll in the University of New Hampshire and will get her master of science in occupational therapy in the fall of 2007. Lindsey hopes in the future to make “a difference on a large scale” and sees research as a way to do it. “The effects of stress are becoming a major health concern in America,” she said, and more needs to be known about stress reduction therapies as well as ways to promote general health. Her research project taught her a great deal about the scientific method and systematic inquiry: it’s important to “put a lot of work and thought into the study design before you ever begin actual research.” Lindsey decided to publish in Inquiry because many people have misconceptions about occupational therapy and are not aware of the importance of meaningful occupation in our lives.
“It’s always inspiring working with students,” says Dr. Barbara Prudhomme White, who has mentored University of New Hampshire students for the McNair program as well as for various research projects. “I gain insight from seeing their growth in understanding research methods and from their excitement in uncovering new information.” Dr. White has been at UNH for over eight years and is an associate professor in the Occupational Department of the School for Health and Human Services. Her areas of interest and specialization are several: stress and relations to development in children; stress links to occupations and health; early intervention and behavioral and emotional regulation; and salivary biomarkers of stress. Dr. White was impressed with the growth in Lindsey’s research skills and self-confidence throughout the project. As Lindsey says in her article, Dr. White worked closely with her during her project and the revising of her report for Inquiry.
Read Lindsey T. Wetteland's research article, Stress and Occupation: Summer Research on the Road >>
