Person:
Fysh, Lauren

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https://www.husson.edu/directory/lauren_fysh
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Assistant Professor, College of Health
Last Name
Fysh
First Name
Lauren
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O.T.D., University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
M.S. Occupational Therapy, 2014, Husson University
B.A. Psychology, 2013, Husson University

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    PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON BARRIERS AND FACILLITATORS TO HOME PROGRAM PARTICIPATION
    (2026-04-16) Poulin, Mara; Boucher, Lydia; O'Roak, Maureen; Fysh, Lauren
    This study explores pediatric occupational therapists’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators that influence a family's participation in home programming for their child. Home programs are a central component of pediatric occupational therapy practice and support skill development and the generalization of therapeutic gains across different environments. Research suggests that embedding interventions within a family's natural routine can actively promote meaningful participation in children. This can be through the occupations such as play, feeding, and everyday activities. Factors such as caregiver stress, socioeconomic constraints, geographic location, and characteristics of the home environment may negatively affect the family's engagement and overall adherence to the program's structure during their interactions with the program. Creating routines can help with providing structure, predictability, and security for both the children and their caregivers. This makes routines more effective in the context of the intervention. Despite the given evidence, there are still barriers to successful home program implementation. A qualitative survey design was used to gather perspectives from licensed pediatric occupational therapists who work in outpatient clinical settings. Open-ended survey questions were distributed electronically to outpatient pediatric clinics in Maine to collect descriptive information on therapists’ experiences, the perceived barriers families face, and strategies used to support engagement in home programming. Participation was voluntary and anonymous to encourage honest and detailed responses. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns across the responses. Findings from this study aim to inform more contextually responsive home programming approaches and identify strategies that may improve family implementation. Having a stronger understanding of therapists’ perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of programming can help identify and enhance the implementation, engagement, and long-term sustainability of pediatric occupational therapy interventions delivered in the home context.
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    PARENT-PERCEIVED BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO ACCESSING PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR CHILDREN WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES
    (2026-04-16) Salter, Haylee; Morrison, Amelia; McCoy, Hailee; Fysh, Lauren
    Sensory processing differences in children often create challenges with accessing environments and participating in community settings due to how they process and respond to sensory input. One public setting that may present challenges for these children is the public library. Public libraries are important community spaces that help support reading, learning, and social connection. However, environmental stimuli such as noise, bright lighting, visually busy spaces, and unpredictable social interactions can make it difficult for some children and their families to comfortably use these spaces. Despite growing awareness of sensory-friendly practices in community settings, there is limited research exploring parent perspectives on access to public libraries. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine parent-perceived barriers to accessing public libraries for children with sensory processing differences and to identify environmental factors and supports to facilitate inclusive participation. Participants must be a parent or caregiver of a child who is experiencing difficulty accessing public spaces, such as a library, due to sensory processing difficulties. Participants were recruited through a voluntary online survey comprising nine open-ended parent-focused questions, distributed via social media and community groups. Survey responses will be analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis to identify common themes related to environmental barriers and facilitators. This study presents no more than minimal risk to participants. The findings of this research can inform future public library practices and community programming to prompt more inclusive access and participation for children with sensory processing challenges. Gathering parent perspectives on environmental barriers and facilitators may inform future changes to improve access to public libraries.