Job support by occupational therapists for people with developmental disabilities: Two case studies

Abstract

The present report uses two cases to provide an overview of employment support by occupational therapists for people with developmental disabilities and investigates the roles occupational therapists should play and the support they should give. Case A was a man in his 30s with Asperger disorder who used a trial employment program and received on-the-job training, leading to regular employment. Case B was a man in his 40s with intellectual disability who used outreach supported employment and achieved financial stability through sheltered employment. These two cases suggest that occupational therapists can help people with developmental disabilities acquire stable employment by accelerating their adaptation to the workplace through the following steps: assessing the occupational performance of the individual and the work environment; understanding the characteristics of the job by experiencing the job first-hand; and adjusting or improving the work environment to match the capabilities of the individual.