Occupational Therapy Role in School-based Practice: Perspectives from Teachers and OTs

Bolton, Tiffany; Plattner, Lyndi

doi:10.1080/19411243.2019.1636749

Cited by 33 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Our findings demonstrate that a range of contextual factors impact on occupational therapists’ decision-making. Existing literature suggests occupational therapists’ professional identity and how their role in schools is perceived impacts on the support provided to children with handwriting difficulties (Bolton and Plattner, 2020; Clough, 2019). Resources, including availability of support and funding for equipment, have been identified in previous studies as influencing what occupational therapists recommend (Freeman et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Handwriting and typing: Occupational therapy practice when supporting adolescents with handwriting difficulties

Nightingale

Sumner²,

Prunty

et al. 2022

British Journal of Occupational Therapy

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Introduction While most children have developed effective handwriting by secondary school age, some have handwriting difficulties that hamper academic progress. Occupational therapists play a role in assessment and planning support, which may include introducing typing as an alternative. However, there is limited understanding regarding how decisions are made about recommending typing. This study explored the support provided to adolescents with handwriting difficulties by occupational therapists, and the contextual factors that influence their decision-making. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 occupational therapists and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Although there was shared practice underpinned by occupational therapy philosophy, there was also divergent practice due to different approaches. Roles and responsibilities, resources, and evidence and experience influenced occupational therapists’ practice. Understanding the adolescent’s motivation, the effect of handwriting difficulties on well-being and the need for a functional method to record schoolwork, was central to occupational therapists’ decision-making to recommend typing. Conclusion Strategies are needed to address the knowledge-practice gap, including evidence-based guidelines. Closer collaboration between occupational therapists and school staff could increase understanding of roles and highlight the unique occupational therapy contribution. Further research examining whether, when and how to introduce typing as an alternative to handwriting would support best practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Handwriting and typing: Occupational therapy practice when supporting adolescents with handwriting difficulties

Nightingale

Sumner²,

Prunty

et al. 2022

British Journal of Occupational Therapy

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show abstract

“…Best practices suggest that occupational therapists working in Canadian schools should collaborate with educators to promote all students’ success and participation ( Hanft & Shepherd, 2016 ; Villeneuve, 2009 ). This means that occupational therapists should support not only students with formal diagnoses but also students without a diagnosis who are experiencing challenges with school-functioning ranging from fine motor skill difficulties to participation-related issues ( Bolton & Plattner, 2019 ). Positive outcomes related to occupational therapy services include increased family and educator satisfaction, and improvement in students’ skills, functioning, participation, and well-being ( Bazyk & Cahill, 2015 ; Missiuna et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite positive outcomes, challenges have been reported with school-based occupational therapy services in Canada, including long wait lists and inadequate amounts of service ( Deloitte & Touche, 2010 ). These difficulties may stem from historical expectations about occupational therapists and their service delivery models, where pull-out services are expected and common, requests for detailed assessments are numerous, and occupational therapists receive limited support to work towards participation-related goals ( Benson et al, 2016 ; Bolton & Plattner, 2019 ). Such challenges lead to other issues reported with school-based services in Canada and beyond, including the lack of support provided to educators to help them support children’s inclusion ( Kalubi et al, 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Increasing understanding of the roles occupational therapists can play in schools is one recommended strategy to maximize the impact they can have when supporting students ( Bolton & Plattner, 2019 ). Moving away from pull-out, individually based, service delivery approaches to more universal design and health promotion approaches has also been suggested ( Ball, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implementing Partnering for Change in Québec: Occupational Therapy Activities and Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Camden¹,

Campbell²,

Missiuna³

et al. 2021

Can J Occup Ther

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Background. The occupational therapy school-based Partnering for Change (P4C) model has mostly been documented in Ontario. Purpose. This implementation study describes the implementation of P4C in two Québec elementary schools (P4C-Q), as well as therapy practices, their impacts, factors perceived to influence implementation, and recommendations. Method. A sequential mixed-methods design was applied. Therapists (n=2) completed daily journals, describing activities by P4C-Q level. Therapists and other school-stakeholders (n=11) participated in semi-structured interviews, analyzed through a content analysis framework. Findings. Daily journals illustrated that the majority of therapy time was spent on activities targeting the entire classroom, and on collaboration with educators. Interviews illustrated how coaching was used across different practices and the impact of these practices for schools (e.g., capacity-building) and children (e.g., increased functioning), and highlighted how relationship-building is key to facilitating the implementation of this model. Implications. Lessons learned may be helpful for others implementing P4C in their own contexts.

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“…Recently, Bolton and Plattner [ 4 ] indicated continued discrepancies between occupational therapists' and teachers' understanding and use of occupational therapists' roles in the school setting. Their study highlighted concerns about how school-based professionals could make appropriate service referrals if they did not fully understand or define the role of occupational therapy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role Perception of Occupational Therapists in Education Systems: Self-Efficacy and Employability Skills

Fogel

Lamash

2021

Occupational Therapy International

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Although the main framework for occupational therapy includes delivery of services in educational institutions with students with disabilities, little is known about how the occupational therapists perceive their role in this specific system. This research examines an integrated conceptual model wherein self-efficacy explains the occupational therapists’ role perception with employability skills as a mediator. Participants, 147 occupational therapists working in educational systems, completed an online demographic questionnaire, the Perception Questionnaire for Occupational Therapists in the Education System, General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Employability Key Questionnaire. The proposed model was analyzed by the structural equation model (SEM) using AMOS software. The SEM provided excellent goodness of fit indices, χ 2 24 = 40.49 ; p = .019 ; NFI = .93 ; CFI = .97 ; RMSEA = .07 ; SRMR = .05 , and explained 40% of the variance in role perception. These findings highlight employability skills as the primary contributor that affects occupational therapists’ role perception. Self-efficacy and employment skills influence how occupational therapists working in education systems perceive their roles; thus, employment skills should be included in professional training and development courses. This study has implications for occupational therapists working on the education system to understand the meaningful effects of employability skills as critical to developing and improving their role perception.

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Occupational Therapy Role in School-based Practice: Perspectives from Teachers and OTs

Cited by 33 publications

References 21 publications

Handwriting and typing: Occupational therapy practice when supporting adolescents with handwriting difficulties

Handwriting and typing: Occupational therapy practice when supporting adolescents with handwriting difficulties

Implementing Partnering for Change in Québec: Occupational Therapy Activities and Stakeholders’ Perceptions

Role Perception of Occupational Therapists in Education Systems: Self-Efficacy and Employability Skills

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