Dr. Sarah L. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy as well as the Program Director of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program in the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire in the College of Health and Human Services. Dr. Smith has over 25 years experience as a pediatric occupational therapist. Dr. Smith practiced in school and outpatient settings. Her teaching and research are rooted in her work with children and families and the need to provide services that not only support individual children but that also prioritize family participation in everyday meaningful activities.
Dr. Smith is the director of the UNH Healthy Families Research Program in which she examines the specific factors and processes that promote strong family health, as well as the relationship between everyday family activities and family health in order to inform effective family supports. Dr. Smith's Healthy Families Flourish Program is a parent coaching intervention provided via telehealth to support family activity participation.
Dr. Smith earned the 2021 College of Health and Human Services Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2022 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Allied Health's 2022 Distinguished OUHSC Doctor of Science Alumni Award.
Courses Taught
- OT 610: Occupatn, Identity, Disability
- OT 695: Independent Study
- OT 710: OT Practice Professional Roles
- OT 762: OT Eval & Interv for Children
- OT 762/862: OT Eval & Interv for Children
- OT 762L: OT Eval & InterforChildren Lab
- OT 762R: OT Eval & Inter Children-Recit
- OT 781: Research Methods I
- OT 782/882: Research Methods II
- OT 785: Research Methods
- OT 791: Senior Honors Thesis
- OT 810: OT Practice Professional Roles
- OT 862: OT Eval &Intervention Children
- OT 862R: OT Eval&Intervention Child Rec
- OT 881: Research Methods I
- OT 886: Engagement in Research
- OT 893: Spc Top/OT in Schools
Research Interests
- Autism
- Family
- Pediatrics/Paediatrics
- Rehabilitation/Therapy, Occupation/Vocation
- Telemedicine
Selected Publications
Henly, M., Phillips, K. G., Smith, S. L., Kloza, E. M., & Brucker, D. L. (2023). Referral networks for pediatric patients with genetic conditions: The perspective of occupational therapists.. J Genet Couns, 32(5), 982-992. doi:10.1002/jgc4.1706
Smith, S. L., Vaquerano, J., Humphreys, B. P., & Aytur, S. A. (2023). Parent Satisfaction With a Telehealth Parent Coaching Intervention to Support Family Participation.. OTJR (Thorofare N J), 43(3), 531-539. doi:10.1177/15394492231164942
Smith, S. L., Humphreys, E., & Aytur, S. (2022). Parent Satisfaction With a Telehealth Coaching Program for Families of Children With Special Health Care Needs. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Vol. 76. doi:10.5014/ajot.2022.76S1-PO77
Rita, C. M., & Smith, S. L. (2022). Preliminary Effectiveness of the Healthy Families Flourish Program for Families With a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Vol. 76. doi:10.5014/ajot.2022.76S1-PO229
Smith, S., Aytur, S., & Humphreys, E. (2022). Effects of telehealth parent coaching in supporting family participation, cohesion, and adaptability. OTJR Occupation, Participation and Health. doi:10.1177/15394492221083664
Smith, S. L., & McQuade, H. B. (2021). Exploring the health of families with a child with autism. AUTISM, 25(5), 1203-1215. doi:10.1177/1362361320986354
Belarmino, J. A. S., Smith, S. L., & Jewell, V. D. (2020). Extent of Use and Linkage of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to Frames of Reference and Interventions in Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Annals of International Occupational Therapy, 3(2), 69-77. doi:10.3928/24761222-20191125-01
Watson, M. A., Jewell, V. D., & Smith, S. L. (2018). Journey Interrupted: A Phenomenological Exploration of Miscarriage. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 6(3). doi:10.15453/2168-6408.1439
Villasenor, R. F., Smith, S. L., & Jewell, V. D. (2018). A systematic review of sound-based intervention programs to improve participation in education for children with sensory processing and integration challenges. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SCHOOLS AND EARLY INTERVENTION, 11(2), 172-191. doi:10.1080/19411243.2018.1432444
Smith, S. L., DeGrace, B., Ciro, C., Bax, A., Hambrick, A., James, J., & Evans, A. (2017). Exploring families' experiences of health: contributions to a model of family health.. Psychol Health Med, 22(10), 1239-1247. doi:10.1080/13548506.2017.1319069