Development and evaluation of an occupational therapy program for refugee high school students

Adolescents from refugee backgrounds experience challenges participating in their new school environments. This study aimed to describe and discuss the development of an occupational therapy program to facilitate school participation of high school students from refugee backgrounds.

Three cycles of action research were used to develop a program over 18 months in collaboration with two high schools. Data were collected from four occupational therapists, seven school staff members and two school principals using in-depth interviews, questionnaires and review of documents.

The program changed significantly over the three cycles from a focus on individual task mastery in the classroom environment to development of social competence through an activity-based group program.

Building capacity for social competence helped create better alignment between the roles of occupational therapist and teacher within the school context and was perceived to contribute to refugee students' overall availability for learning in their new environments. Action research is useful in collaboratively developing programs in emerging areas of practice.