Current Occupational Therapy Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Jordan: A Step Toward Service Enhancement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe occupational therapy services for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to identify continuing education needs. A self-administered questionnaire was structured with guidance from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, and was disseminated to 70 Jordanian occupational therapists. It consisted of five sections; Nature of the Practice, Evaluation and Assessment, Intervention, Professional Development Needs, and Demographics. Fifty-four therapists (response rate 77%) participated in the study. Evaluation and intervention were less concerned with “Occupations” and more focused on “Performance Skills.” Almost all respondents indicated the need for continuing education with hands-on mentoring being the most preferred method. Implication of current practices on services were discussed in relation to best practice with focusing on the urgent need for shifting into child and family-cantered care, focusing on engagements in occupations, and better collaboration with professionals.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the all occupational therapists who participated in the study. We would like to acknowledge Dr. Masne Kadar, Ph.D. from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for her guidance and for sharing her information freely. We would also like to thank Ms.