Mental health impacts success for many university students. Occupational therapists can intervene during the transition to university to promote mental health. A 5-week, occupationbased group was provided to a group of freshmen university students to encourage short-term improvements in occupational performance (OP), performance satisfaction (PS), and quality of life (QOL). Statistically significant results were obtained for OP and PS (p < 0.05). However, no significant results were obtained when assessing QOL (p > 0.05). Further research, including long term follow-up, about the impact of occupation-based groups with transitioning freshmen is recommended.

Success at university may be influenced by concerns with occupation and occupational performance. To understand occupations of concern and occupational performance among a sample ( N = 144) of university students in the Midwest United States, the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure was administered. Socially related ( n = 103), academic-related ( n = 75), and work-related ( n = 64) occupations were the three most frequently reported occupational concerns. Time management ( n = 79) was the most frequent person-level concern. Mean self-perceived competence in occupations was 29.83 ( SD = 7.18) out of 50 and mean performance satisfaction was 26.80 ( SD = 8.01) out of 50. There were no differences in occupational performance across gender, race/ethnicity, class standing, living environment, or work status. However, within participants, there was a significant and clinically relevant difference between performance satisfaction and self-perceived competence in occupation, t(143) = 7.052, p < .0005, d = 0.58. Students have varied occupations that they find important, and future research should explore how occupational performance and performance satisfaction influence university success.

Introduction Anxiety is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders on post-secondary campuses, often brought on by stressors unique to the college environment. Traditional psychological approaches to manage anxiety might focus on breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation. However, additional techniques that use specific sensory input to reduce anxiety have not received the same attention in the literature. Method This longitudinal study compared four interventions for state anxiety (deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, an adapted dive reflex, and use of a weighted lap object) in a cohort of professional occupational therapy students. Results This study found that all four interventions significantly reduced state anxiety. The sensory-based interventions of adapted dive reflex and weighted lap object appeared to have a longer duration of impact than the traditional interventions of deep breathing and PMR. Conclusion These results suggest that both traditional and sensory-based approaches may be effective in reducing anxiety before a testing situation.

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