A Study Exploring Parents’ and Occupational Therapists Views on Facilitating Social and Emotional Development

This study examined how parents of a child with a disability and the child\u27s occupational therapist each facilitate social and emotional development among children who have or are currently receiving occupational therapy services. This study first served to identify, through interviews, what social and emotional skills are important individually to the parent and the occupational therapist that the child gains. Through interviews, the researcher investigated the perceptions of how parents and occupational therapists facilitate social and emotional skills. The location of the therapy session was found to be a vital component among parent and occupational therapist interaction. Finally, this research noted how parents and occupational therapists are working together to better serve the child or how barriers can impede the relationship. The data exposes that even though occupational therapists view the holistic approach of their role as vital, this is not necessarily being implemented due to external factors. Based on the interviews with the participants in this study, data reduction points to a gap that is present between occupational therapist and parent interaction that can indirectly affect parent child interaction which in turn affects the child’s social and emotional skill enhancement and development