By Dave DeFusco
At the Katz School鈥檚 Graduate Symposium on Science, Technology and Health in May, Bella Chilczuk, a student in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate, shared findings from a project that shows how something as joyful and fundamental as play can strengthen families. Her presentation, 鈥淧romoting Family Resilience: Tier-1 Strength-Based Program to Enhance Parent-Child Play Interactions,鈥 was not only the product of her own dedication, but the result of a unique collaboration spanning two universities, two principal investigators and three student researchers.
The project was co-led by Dr. Amiya Waldman-Levi, a former Katz School clinical associate professor, and Dr. Sarah Fabrizi, associate professor of occupational therapy at Florida Gulf Coast University. Together, they guided a student team that included Chilczuk, Gabrielle Tavory from the Katz School and Zoe Hill from FGCU. 扣扣传媒 and FGCU even signed a formal agreement to enable this cross-institutional partnership鈥攁 step that reflects both schools鈥 commitment to advancing research that addresses real-world needs.
鈥淧arental stress affects how competent a parent feels,鈥 said Chilczuk. 鈥淚t impacts how much time they spend playing with their children, and that has real developmental consequences. Our goal was to design a program that supports parents by building on their existing strengths.鈥
The project explored a tier-1, strengths-based educational program for parents of children ages 2 to 5. Tier-1 interventions, commonly used in public health and education, are designed to be low-cost, preventative and scalable, making them ideal for families across diverse communities. At the heart of this intervention is play, which Chilczuk described as 鈥渘ot just about having fun, but about learning, connecting and growing.鈥
鈥淭aking the lead on this clinical research project was a very rewarding experience,鈥 said Chilczuk. 鈥淭he experience deepened my research skills and showed me how meaningful collaboration can elevate the quality of scientific work. The whole experience boosted my confidence and research skills in ways I never expected.鈥
While many interventions use play in child development, few focus specifically on parent-child play as a driver of family resilience. According to Waldman-Levi, 鈥淏ella鈥檚 project fills that gap by targeting both the parent and child through education and engagement, rather than focusing solely on therapeutic intervention for the child.鈥
The study used a mixed-methods, two-group pre- and post-test design, with IRB approval and a registered trial through FGCU. Despite the small sample size, the team saw promising results: even brief, virtual educational sessions improved parents鈥 sense of competence and their ability to engage their children through play.
Dr. Fabrizi underscored the importance of this outcome: 鈥淚t demonstrates that empowering parents through education can strengthen the parent-child relationship, improve developmental outcomes and lay the foundation for greater family resilience. That鈥檚 critical in today鈥檚 world, where families are under more stress than ever.鈥
The research also reflects a shared philosophy between the two universities: using a strength-based lens to empower families rather than focusing on deficits. As Dr. Waldman-Levi explained, 鈥淏y focusing on what families can do, rather than what they鈥檙e lacking, this model builds confidence. That confidence ripples through everything: how a parent advocates for their child, how they cope with daily stress, and how they build moments of joy through play.鈥
For the three student researchers鈥擟hilczuk and Gabrielle Tavory from 扣扣传媒and Zoe Hill from FGCU鈥攖he collaboration was a chance to work across institutions, share expertise and see the impact of their work on families.
鈥淭his project was a true collaboration at every level,鈥 said Waldman-Levi. 鈥淲e are very proud of Bella, Gabby and Zoe, and of what they accomplished together. Their work highlights not only the power of play, but also the power of partnership.鈥
