Jane Clifford O'Brien, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
Professor
Location
Dr. O'brien has been teaching and providing occupational therapy services to children and youth for over 26 years. She has published in topics related to occupational therapy practice for children and youth in the areas of motor control and motor learning, play and playfulness, Model of Human Occupation, community wellness, and therapeutic reasoning. Dr. O'brien serves as co-editor and author of several textbooks, including: Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents (7th ed.); Introduction to Occupational Therapy (5th ed.); Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants (4th ed.) and Occupational Analysis and Group Process. Along with these textboooks, Dr. O'brien has created ancillary materials, including video libraries to faciliate therapeutic reasoning.
More recently, Dr. O'brien examined teaching strategies for millenial students using a case-based integration approach to engage students in therapuetic reasoning. She created two courses using this approach, one for adult content and the other for pediatric content. Dr. O'brien is currently working with the L.L. Bean Wellness to examine the outcomes of their employee wellness program. She is also engaged in participatory research project using the Model of Human Occupation in practice. Dr. O'brien engages in collaborations with colleagues from around the world and frequently presents internationally. Her publications, chapters, and presentations include contributions and collaborations from UNE students, faculty, and alumni.
Credentials
Education
Board Certifications and Licenses
Research
Current research
Using Model of Human Occupation to better understand children and their families; exploration of motivational issues for health and well-being in a wellness program at L.L. Bean; participatory research project with pediatric practitioners to measure assessment and strength-based intervention strategies for children with disabilities
Selected publications
Carson, N., Blake, C., Saunders, R., & O’Brien, J. (2013). Influences on the food choice behaviors of adults with severe mental illness. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 29 (4), 361-384.
Kramer, J., Bowyer, P., Kielhofner, G., O’Brien, J., & Maziero-Barbosa, V. (2009). Examining rater behavior on a revised version of the Short Child Occupational Profile (SCOPE). Occupational Therapy Journal of Research,29 (2) 88 – 96.
Kramer, J., Bowyer, P., O’Brien, J., Kielhofner, G., & Maziero-Barbosa, V. (2009). How interdisciplinary pediatric practitioners choose assessments. Canadian Occupational Therapy Journal, 76, 56 – 64.
Kramer, J., Walker, R., Cohn, E., Mermelstein, M., Olsen, S., O’Brien, J., Bowyer, P. (2012). Striving for shared understandings: therapists’ perspectives of the benefits and dilemmas of using a child self-assessment. OTJR: Occupation, Participation & Health 32, Supplement: S48 – S58. ISSN: 1539-4492
Lewin, J. & O’Brien, J. (Februray 2010). Translating motor control theory into functional application to early intervention, UTS, Training Times, 6, 4 – 15.
O’Brien, J., Asselin, L., Fortier, K., Janzegers, R., Lagueux, B., & Silcox, C. (2010). Using therapeutic reasoning to apply the Model of Human Occupation in pediatric occupational therapy practice. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools & Early Intervention, 3, 348 – 365.
O’Brien, J., Bergeron, A., Duprey, H., Olver, C., & St. Onge, H. (2009).Children with disabilities and their parents’ views of occupational participation needs. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 25, 1- 17.
O’Brien, J. & Lewin, J. (January 19, 2009). Part II; Translating motor control and motor learning principles into occupational therapy practice with children and youth. AOTA CEU article. OT Practice, 14, CE 1- 8.
O’Brien, J. & Lewin, J. (Nov 17, 2008). Part I; Translating motor control and motor learning principles into occupational therapy practice with children and youth. AOTA CEU article. OT Practice, 17 (21). CE 1-8.
O’Brien, J., & McNeil, S. (2013). Teaching effectiveness: Preparing occupational therapy students for clinical practice. Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 1 (3), Article 3.
O’Brien, J. & Sandmire, D. (2008). Cardiovascular and electroencephalographic response to purposeful vs. nonpurposeful activity in adults. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 22 (4), 19 – 30.
O’Brien, J., Williams, H., Bundy, A.,Lyons,J., & Mittal, A. (2008). Mechanisms that underlie coordination in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, Journal of Motor Behavior. 40, 43 – 61.
Sandmire, D., O’Brien, J., Lemieux, S., Meyer, S., & Moutinhu, S. (2008). Cardiovascular and electroencephalographic responses to purposeful versus nonpurposeful activity in children. Occupational Therapy in Health Care. 22 (4), 1 – 18.
Taylor, R., O’Brien, J., Kielhfoner, G., Lee, S., Katz, B., & Mears, C. (2010). The occupational and quality of life consequences of chronic fatigue syndrome in adolescents. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73 (11), 524 –5.
Other scholarly activity
Books
O’Brien, J. (2017). Introduction to Occupational Therapy (5th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier.
Solomon, J. & O’Brien, J.C. (Eds.) (2016). Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants (4th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier.
Case-Smith, J. & O’Brien, J. (Eds.) (2015). Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents (7th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier.
O’Brien, J. & Solomon, J., (2013). Occupational Analysis & Group Process. St. Louis: Elsevier.
Invited plenary presentation
O'Brien, J. (May 21, 2018). Creative strategies to promote and measure clinical reasoning in healthcare students. Faculty Development Workshop. University of New England, Biddeford, ME.
O'Brien, J., Hoffman, J., & Moreau, E. (October 14, 2017). Measuring intervention outcomes using the Short Child Occupational Profile Evaluation (SCOPE). 5th International Institute on Kielhofner's Model of Human Occupation, MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX.
O'Brien, J. (June 27 and 28, 2017). Applying the Model of Human Occupation to mental health practice. Staff training workshop. (Invited speaker). Worcester State Recovery Hospital, Worcester, MA.
O’Brien, J. , Hinshaw, J., Froehlich, J. (April 1, 2017). Examining L.L. Bean’s Employee Health and Wellness Program using the Model of Human Occupation, AOTA National Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
O’Brien, J. & Carson, N. (March 31, 2017). Educational strategies to develop therapeutic reasoning for practice in mental health and pediatrics, AOTA National Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
O’Brien, J. , Hinshaw, J., Froehlich, J., Curran, S., Small, S., & Swenson, F. (March 30, 2017). Using the Model of Human Occupation to Measure Outcomes of the JumpStart L.L. Bean Employee Wellness Program. AOTA National Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
O’Brien, J.(October 27, 2016). Application of strength-based interventions using Model of Human Occupation. (Invited speaker). Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
O’Brien, J. (October 6, 2016). Strength-based intervention with children using the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO). (Invited speaker). Scholarship of Practice Lecture. University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
O’Brien, J.(April 21, 2016). Strength-based perspectives: The Model of Human Occupation. (Keynote address). University of Amsterdam. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Van Telden, M. & O’Brien, J. (April 21, 2016). Therapeutic reasoning using The Child Occupational Self-Assessment (workshop). University of Amsterdam. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
O’Brien, J., Hinshaw, J., Froehlich, J., O’Brien, S., Curran, S., & Swenson, F. (January 22, 2016). Examining volition, habits, and performance capacity outcomes of L.L. Bean employees enrolled in a wellness program. Fourth International Institute of the Model of Human Occupation, Indianapolis, IN.
O’Brien, J. & Tumbleson, J. (January 22, 2016). Teaching students to apply the Model of Human Occupation to occupational therapy practice. Fourth International Institute of the Model of Human Occupation, Indianapolis, IN.
O’Brien, J. (July 18, 2014). Applying motor control and motor learning theory to occupational therapy practice. (Invited speaker). Maralynne Mitcham Lectureship. Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
O’Brien, J. , Bowyer, P., & Kramer, J. (April 3, 2014). Applying the Model of Human Occupation in pediatric practice. AOTA conference. Baltimore, MD.
O’Brien, J., Crossley-Marra, L., DeLuca, K., Kaminski, T., Peters, B., Schena, C. , Shea, M., & Froehlich, J. (April 5, 2014). Using the Child Occupational Self-Assessment in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice. AOTA conference. Baltimore, MD.
O’Brien, J. & McNeil, S. (April 4, 2014). Teaching effectiveness: Preparing occupational therapy students for clinical practice. AOTA conference. Baltimore, MD.
Coker-Bolt, P., & O’Brien, J. (February 20, 2014). Pediatric CIMT, motor control and motor learning. University of New England.
O’Brien, J. , Bowyer, P., & Kramer, J. (April 3, 2014). Applying the Model of Human Occupation in pediatric practice. AOTA conference. Baltimore, MD.
Coker-Bolt, P., & O’Brien, J. (February 20, 2014). Pediatric CIMT, motor control and motor learning. University of New England.
Research interests
motor control and motor learning as applied to occupational therapy practice; therapeutic reasoning; teaching effectiveness; application of Model of Human Occupation in practice with children and adolescents; community wellness