Occupational therapy with children with pervasive developmental disorders

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Developmental pediatrics
• Child psychology

Background:

• Rising prevalence of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD).
• Limited empirical data on occupational therapists' roles and practices with this population.
• Need to understand current intervention strategies and their effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the current practices of occupational therapists working with children diagnosed with PDD.
• To identify commonly used intervention approaches and perceived therapist competencies.
• To explore the relationship between intervention approaches and perceived child outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive survey study.
• Mailed survey to 500 occupational therapists in relevant professional associations in the eastern and midwestern US.
• Valid return rate of 58% (292 respondents) using Likert scale items.

Main Results:

• Respondents primarily work in schools and have seen an increase in children with PDD.
• Holistic approaches addressing multiple performance domains are common.
• Sensory integration and environmental modification are most frequently used and perceived as areas of highest competency.
• Greater use and competence in sensory integration correlate with perceived improvements in sensory processing.
• Child-centered play approaches correlate with perceived improvements in sensory integration and play skills.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapists are increasingly involved in PDD interventions, often utilizing holistic and sensory-based approaches.
• Therapist competence in sensory integration and play-based interventions is associated with positive outcomes.
• Further research is needed to validate these findings and refine best practices.