Examining The Lived Experiences Of Families Who Have Adopted Children And Received Occupational Therapy Services

Purpose: This qualitative descriptive study focused on the experiences of families who have adopted children from different countries and placed them in occupational therapy services. Method: Three different sets of parents were interviewed to gather data on the adoption process and on their experiences with receiving services from an OT. Each interview was conducted either with one or both parents present. Only one interview was conducted with each family. Discussion: While families often have quality experiences working with an OT and observe improvements in their children, some families do not receive quality services. This is due to lack of communication with the OT and the inability of the parents to give input on activities completed in therapy. Implementing family-centered and client-centered therapy increases the effectiveness of OT skills and improves client and caregiver satisfaction