Document Type (Journals)
Original Research
Abstract
Academic factors (grades, assignments, study approaches, study strategies, rigorous curriculums, workload) and mindset factors (academic resilience, educational self-efficacy) are known individual factors that impact student well-being. However, if and how these factors in combination predict well-being in occupational therapy students has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore study approaches and mindset factors in predicting entry-level occupational therapy student well-being. Entry-level occupational therapy students (master’s and doctorate) from across the United States were recruited (N = 305). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected using four standardized assessments and analyzed using a multiple linear regression. The model of combined variables was significant, F(5, 299) = 40.98, p < .001, accounting for 39.7% of the variance in well-being, including academic resilience (β = .39, p < .001), educational self-efficacy (β = .35, p < .001), and using a deep study approach (β = .13, p = .030) as significant factors. However, subsequent analyses (F(2, 302) = 99.20, p < .001) indicated that academic resilience (β = .40, p < .001) and educational self-efficacy (β = .35, p < .001) were the strongest predictors and the most parsimonious explanation, accounting for 39.2% of the variance in well-being ratings. Students have many unique factors that negatively impact their well-being that academic programs cannot modify. However, academic programs could implement programming to strengthen student academic resilience and educational self-efficacy in addition to teaching study skills. If students had a mindset where they felt more equipped to handle environmental adversities and were more confident that they could achieve academic success, then perhaps they might approach their entire educational experience differently, ultimately positively impacting their well-being.
Biography
Elena Wong Espiritu, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR is an Associate Professor in the School of Occupational Therapy at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She teaches in the MSOT, OTD, and PP-OTD programs. One of Dr. Espiritu’s research interests is promoting student well-being through engagement in meaningful occupations.
Katie Eison, OTD/S; Maya Pakulski, OTD/S; Alandry Vise, OTD/S; Alexandria West, OTD/S; and Ava Woessner, OTD/S are students in Belmont University’s entry-level OTD program. This manuscript was developed as part of their research curriculum coursework.
Declaration of Interest
The authors report no declarations of interest.
Recommended Citation
Espiritu, E. W., Eison, K., Pakulski, M., Vise, A., West, A., & Woessner, A. (2026). Study Approaches and Mindset in Predicting Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Student Well-Being: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (1). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss1/6
Creative Commons License
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