Abstract
This study informs school-based OT for adolescents with executive dysfunction. Findings synthesize practitioners’ expertise to identify key change mechanisms formulating a preliminary intervention protocol to promote participation.
Primary Author and Speaker: Nirit Levanon-Erez
Contributing Authors: Liora Azani, Adina Maeir
This study aimed to inform school-based occupational therapy (OT) for adolescents with executive dysfunction, impeding their participation in educational and community settings. Specifically, this study aimed to leverage the expertise of OT practitioners and supervisors to develop an interprofessional participation-based intervention and assess its content validity. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, involving two focus groups of OTs with > 5 years of experience in the school system (N=9), and an interview with two supervisors. Thematic content analysis was conducted. The findings were integrated with evidence-based literature to construct a preliminary intervention protocol. Finally, six expert OTs rated the relevance and feasibility of the components, and the content validity index (CVI) was computed. Three themes with sub-themes emerged: (a) Client factors to be addressed: intrinsic motivation, self-awareness, and executive functions; (b) Recommended intervention method: autonomy-supportive approach, psychoeducation, metacognitive strategy training, task training, group intervention, and environmental modifications; (c) Implementation factors to be considered: interprofessional collaboration and school system timeframes. An intervention protocol integrating these findings with the literature was constructed. Content validity was supported for the relevance and feasibility of the intervention components (CVI = .98, .74). This study represents an initial step in developing an interprofessional school-based intervention to promote the participation of adolescents with executive dysfunction. Motivation and metacognition were identified as central enablers of participation and multi-dimensional therapeutic methods were recommended to support them. Findings contribute to school-based OT practice, enhancing adolescents’ participation. Further research incorporating additional stakeholders’ views is needed to inform further development.
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