THERAPISTS PERCEPTIONS OF PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL-THERAPY INTERVENTIONS IN SELF-CARE

Objectives. This study examined the congruence between pediatric occup ational therapists' self-care interventions and occupational therapy p hilosophical base, which focuses on performance of self-care skills as primary in evaluation and intervention. Method. A questionnaire was m ailed to 252 therapists serving children ages birth to 6 years. The qu estionnaire asked for therapists' perceptions about the importance uni queness, and frequency of 10 areas of intervention, including self-car e. Results. Perceived importance of self-care was found to be strongly related to perceived frequency of self-care intervention. Practice se tting was significantly associated with perceptions of uniqueness of s elf-care, and team membership status was significantly associated with importance of self-care. Most respondents perceived self-care interve ntion to be important (86%) and unique (80%) to occupational therapy S eventy percent regularly provided intervention for self-care. Connclus ions. The therapists' perceptions reflected continued regard for self- care as an important and unique area of pediatric occupational therapy but were somewhat discrepant with the actual frequency of self-care i nterventions.