Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Occupational Therapy

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

First Advisor

Nardia Aldridge

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2025

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

Despite the increasing racial and ethnic diversity within occupational therapy (OT) programs across the United States, the unique experiences of Asian American students remain underexplored in OT education research. Dominant narratives in health professions education often render Asian American voices invisible, perpetuating stereotypes, such as the "model minority" and contributing to the phenomenon of Asianization, a process by which individuals are homogenized and reduced to essentialized cultural traits. Additionally, the OT curriculum frequently lacks a critical engagement with (re)constructive history, thereby overlooking the complex and often marginalized histories of Asian American communities in the United States. The lived experiences of Asian American students enrolled in entry-level OT programs were explored to understand how they navigate Asianization and (re)constructive history within educational contexts. Guided by Asian critical theory (AsianCrit), this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) employed semi-structured interviews with 10 Asian American OT students from various programs across the United States. The focus of the research was on two central subquestions: How do Asian American OT entry-level students experience and negotiate Asianization within the OT educational environment? and How do they experience and negotiate (re)constructive history in the OT curriculum? Preliminary findings were suggestive that participants encounter pervasive microaggressions, cultural invalidation, and a curriculum that often omits or distorts Asian American historical and sociopolitical contributions. Participants also demonstrated resilience and critical agency in resisting and redefining imposed narratives. This dissertation study contributes to a deeper understanding of racialized educational experiences in OT and calls for a reimagining of OT pedagogy that is inclusive, historically grounded, and culturally responsive. Keywords: AsianCrit, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), (re)constructive history, occupational therapy education, Asian American

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Keywords

(re)constructive history; Asian American; AsianCrit; Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis; occupational therapy education

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