Premium
Contribution of occupational therapists in positive behaviour support
Author(s) -
Perez Micah,
Carlson Glenys,
Ziviani Jenny,
Cuskelly Monica
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2012.01036.x
Subject(s) - occupational therapy , psychology , perspective (graphical) , psychological intervention , challenging behaviour , function (biology) , applied psychology , medical education , intellectual disability , psychotherapist , medicine , psychiatry , artificial intelligence , evolutionary biology , computer science , biology
Aim Positive behaviour support employs specific strategies which aim to both reduce the incidence of behaviours of concern and enhance the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities. This study aims to identify activities and experiences of occupational therapists working in behaviour support contexts to understand how they see their contributions in this area. Methods Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 10 occupational therapists who have provided behaviour support for people with intellectual disabilities. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results Three major themes emerged from the interview data: contextualising and understanding behaviour; occupational therapy – why and how?; and ‘challenges, strengths and expanding horizons’. Conclusions Participants saw themselves as providing an occupational perspective in the delivery of behaviour support, to individuals with behaviour support needs. They highlighted that this was achieved utilising their skills and knowledge about positive behaviour support strategies. Their approaches were seen as drawing on: their understanding of neurological function and how it relates to a person's occupational engagement; combining occupationally focussed approaches with behavioural analysis methodology to guide practice; and advocating for person‐centred interventions. These observations form the basis for exploring ways in which occupational therapists can advance their contributions in positive behaviour support settings.