MELISSA L ZAHL, PhD, MTRS, CTRS portrait
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Physical Therapy & Athletic Training
  • Associate Professor, Occupational & Recreational Therapies
801-213-1133

Research Statement

My research focuses on a critical health topic: the effectiveness of interventions/programming in preventing secondary health conditions, facilitating community engagement, and increasing quality of life for the physical medicine and rehabilitation population. I have developed collaborative research in such populations at my previous institutions. Here, I have already established interdisciplinary collaborations in spinal cord injury although I only recently arrived on campus. In particular, I am investigating the influence of adaptive sports and other recreational activities and mobile health interventions on the prevention and non-pharmacological management of secondary health conditions and quality of life.

The second area of focus is the promotion and advocacy of recreational therapy. This is developed through collaborations and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, investigating curriculum and curricular concerns in recreational therapy, and interprofessional education and collaboration.

Presentations

  • Coleman CG, Zahl ML (2021). Learning to breathe: A mindfulness-based stress reduction program for adolscents. Presentation, Presented, 03/05/2021.
  • Zahl ML, Parker A. (2021). Advanced activities of daily living: Implications for recreational therapy. Presentation, Presented, 03/04/2021.
  • Piatt, J. A., & Zahl, M. L. (2020). COVID19: Social isolation and loneliness and the SCI population. Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (ASCIP), webinar, May 27, 2020. Presentation, Presented, 05/27/2020.
  • Zahl, M.L., *Coleman, C. J., *Ashnault, C., *Emery, E., & *Monson, A. (2020). The benefits of adaptive recreation for individuals with spinal cord injury. Utah Recreation Therapy Assocation Annual Conference, March 3, 2020. Presentation, Presented, 03/03/2020.
  • 2018 therapeutic recreation curriculum study. Conference Paper, Presented, 09/20/2019.
  • 2018 Minnesota Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference. Session 13: Using Evidenced-Based Cognitive Retraining in Recreational Therapy Practice Melissa L. Zahl, Ph.D., CTRS/L Evidenced based interventions to address multiple aspects of cognitive functioning has been found useful in the treatment of individuals with cognitive deficits. This session will present a basic overview of cognitive functioning, where in the brain is certain cognitive functions, evidenced-based interventions and how a recreational therapist may use interventions in practice. Presentation, Presented, 11/2018.
  • 2018 Minnesota Therapeutic Recreation Association. Session 18: Standardizing Programming in Clinical Practice Melissa L. Zahl, Ph.D., CTRS/L There is discussion regarding the importance of standardizing programming or interventions within clinical practice. One such way is through the development and use of clinical practice guidelines. This highly interactive session will refresh participants memory about clinical practice guidelines and potentially identify the use of guidelines in RT practice. Presentation, Presented, 11/2018.
  • The experience of community re-entry intervention from the perspective of the patient with a stroke. Presented at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Poster, Presented, 10/03/2018.
  • American Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference. Presented for National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification Membership Meeting. Other, Presented, 09/2018.
  • Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference. Presented for National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification Annual Membership meeting. Other, Presented, 06/2018.

Publications

  • Zahl, M. L., Piatt, J. A. & Coleman, C. J. (2023). Understanding Pain in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: Implications for Recreational Therapy Practice. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Vol. 57(2), 19. Published, 05/09/2023.
    https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2023-V57-I2-11760
  • Zahl, M. L., Parker, A., & Read, C. (2022). Categories of activities of daily living skills: Implications for recreational therapists. Weston Medical Publishing LLC. Vol. 21(4), 7. Published, 12/01/2022.
    https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/ajrt/index
  • Piatt, J. A., Stanojevic, I. S., Stanojevic, C., Zahl, M. L., Richmond, M. A. & Herbenick, D. (2022). Sexual health and women living with spinal cord injury: The unheard voice. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences. Vol. 3, 856347. Published, 05/06/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.853647
  • Anderson, L., Page, J. & Zahl, M. L. (2022). The status of clinical supervision in Therapeutic Recreation in 2020: A follow-up study. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Vol. 56. Published, 02/23/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2022-V56-I1-11189
  • Coleman CJ, Zahl ML, Hanseen N, Peterson C & Qualls A (2020). The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction among individuals with back pain: Implications for recreational therapy. ATRA. Published, 10/2020.
  • Westenskow R & Zahl ML (2020). The use of flow learning to enhance engagement in sensory-based nature experiences for students with neurodevelopmental diagnoses. ATRA. Published, 10/2020.
  • Zahl ML, Bateman M, DeFreitas JM, Mwavita M & Horneber G (2020). The role of recreational therapy and allied therapies in rehabilitation after spinal cord inury. Sagamore-Venture. Vol. 54, 1-16. Published, 03/02/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2020-V54-I1-9617
  • Zahl, M. L., Stumbo, N. J., Carter, M. J., Wilder, A. & Greenwood, J. (2020). 2018 undergraduate therapeutic recreation curriculum survey part A: Accreditation, curriculum, and internship characteristics. Sagamore-Venture. Accepted, 01/28/2020.
  • Zahl, M. L., Stumbo, N. J., Greenwood, J., Carter, M. J. & Wilder, A. (2020). 2018 undergraduate therapeutic recreation curriculum survey part B: University, faculty, and student characteristics. Sagamore-Venture. Accepted, 01/23/2020.
  • Wright C, Price T & Zahl ML (2020). Shades of purple recreation. Oklahoma Assocation for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Published, 01/2020.
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-YiUTAGMYTbYll...
  • Richardson L, Volberding J & Zahl ML (2020). The impact of university approved diversity courses on undergraduate students' multicultural awareness. Sagamore-Venture. Vol. 1. Published, 01/2020.
  • Zahl, M. L., Bateman, M., DeFreitas, J. M., Mwavita, M. & Horneber, G. (2019). The role of recreational therapy and allied therapies in rehabilitation after spinal cord injury. Sagamore-Venture. Accepted, 07/23/2019.
  • Zahl, M. L. & Miller, M., & Horneber, G (2018). The experience of community re-entry internveion from the perspective of the patient with a stroke. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Accepted, 07/2018.
  • Zahl, M. L. & DeVries, D., Pollack, W., & Mwavita, M (2017). ATRA code of ethics: Impressions from the profession. Annual in Therapeutic Recreation. Vol. 24, 38-50. Published, 09/2017.
  • Zahl, M. L. & Horneber, G., Piatt, J.A., & Mwavita, M. (2017). The role of recreational therapy in the treatment of a stroke population. Annual in Therapeutic Recreation. Vol. 24, 26-37. Published, 09/2017.
  • Zahl, M. L. & Passmore, T., & *Cudd, T. (2017). Therapeutic alliance and the relationship with motivation for recreational therapy treatment. American Journal of Recreation Therapy. Vol. 16, 26-32. Published, 02/2017.
  • Zahl, M. L & Greenwood, J., Ramella, K., Sullivan, A-M., & Wilder, A. (2016). Interprofessional education and experiences within therapeutic recreation education. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Published, 10/2016.