Enhancing Therapeutic Use of Self: The Value of Unfolding Case Studies in Occupational Therapy Education

Objective: This capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of using unfolding case studies (UCS) as a supplemental instructional method to enhance occupational therapy (OT) students’ self-efficacy (SE) in applying therapeutic use of self (TUOS), a core competency in OT education.Methods: Four workshop modules were delivered to and completed by OT students (n=3) enrolled in the occupational therapy doctorate program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The sessions included instructional content, guided discussions, unfolding case study activities, and a TUOS competency. The Self-Efficacy for Therapeutic Use of Self (SETUS) Questionnaire was administered at four points throughout to monitor perceived self-efficacy over time. Findings: Descriptive statistics indicated progressive increases in SETUS scores across all subscales—Self-Efficacy for Therapeutic Mode Use (SETMU), Recognizing Interpersonal Characteristics (SERIC), and Managing Interpersonal Events (SEMIE)—from baseline to post-competency. Qualitative feedback supported these findings, highlighting the workshop’s relevance and the unfolding case study format’s value in promoting confidence and real-time clinical reasoning. Conclusion: Students' perceptions of their self-efficacy in TUOS were positively affected by the UCS-based workshop, suggesting more meaningful and effective ways of bridging theoretical knowledge and practical application in OT education through unfolding case studies. Implementing similar approaches in the future may contribute to the development of other interpersonal and clinical competencies essential to OT practice.