Rate My Professor Kaitlyn Spalding

Kaitlyn Spalding is a Lecturer in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work at Griffith University. She earned a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOccThy) and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) from Griffith University. An occupational therapist with over 12 years of experience in the healthcare industry, she specializes in adult neurological rehabilitation. Her career history includes clinical roles at Queensland Health, notably in the Occupational Therapy Department at the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service. At Griffith University, she is a Principal Investigator at The Hopkins Centre, contributing to research on brain injury rehabilitation and patient-centered care.

Spalding's research specializations encompass occupation-based group programs in inpatient settings, patient engagement in neurorehabilitation, transitions from hospital to home after acquired brain injury, and multidisciplinary approaches to post-traumatic fatigue. Key publications include 'Exploring Patient Outcomes After Participation in an Inpatient Occupation-Based Group: A Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study' (American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2022), 'Evaluation of an inpatient occupation-based group program using a process evaluation framework' (Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 2023), 'Uncovering the experiences of engaging in an inpatient occupation-based group program: the LifeSkills group' (Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023), 'Using the ICF framework to explore a multidisciplinary approach to fatigue following traumatic brain injury' (2024), and 'Home is "a different planet" when transitioning from hospital after acquired brain injury: can digital technology help bridge the two worlds?' (Disability and Rehabilitation, 2025). She leads a 2024 seed-funded project as Chief Investigator at The Hopkins Centre, investigating how patients modify and personalize their rooms in inpatient neurorehabilitation environments to inform design guidelines for enriched settings that support mood, recovery, and patient-centered care.