Anne Kiraly-Alvarez, O.T.D., OTR/L

Life skills interventions for adolescents & young adults with I/DD

Research demonstrates that individuals with intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) do not participate in independent/supported living, post-secondary education, work/volunteer participation, and leisure and social participation to the same extent as their non-disabled peers. Although various life skills programs exist to address this issue, there are various gaps related to the ability of participants to apply what they learn into their everyday lives, the perspectives of the individuals who participate in these programs, and the roles of OTs within these programs. My research interests include exploring the skills and environmental supports that best prepare adolescents and young adults with I/DD to live successful, meaningful, and fulfilled lives as adults. I am interested in exploring these factors in order to develop a life skills curriculum that could be used in school or community settings with this population.


Cultural influence on occupations

Culture is so important in defining the occupations in which we engage, how we perform them, and how we experience them. In a multicultural society, it is essential that occupational therapy practitioners consider the cultures of their clients so that they can best understand and address their clients' needs. Although culture encompasses much a multitude of factors, my research interests focus primarily on ethnic and religious diversity and include: 1) further examining the experiences of culturally diverse individuals or groups with whom occupational therapists work, and 2) investigating the effectiveness of culturally sensitive interventions to promote occupational performance and participation for culturally diverse populations. It is my hope that this research can contribute to the body of knowledge on applying concepts of cultural humility into OT practice.

Occupational therapy education
As an occupational therapy educator, I feel it is important to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning in order to continually improve educational experiences for students and educators. Some areas that I am particularly interested in include exploring ways to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, accessibility, and justice within OT education, as well as exploring and promoting experiences and outcomes of doctoral capstones.