Facilitators and barriers to the use of iPads as a therapy tool: A Canadian survey of pediatric occupational therapists

Abstract

Technological advancements are leading occupational therapists to alter traditional methods of addressing intervention with clients by incorporating intervention tools like the iPad to enhance rehabilitation and improve participation in the everyday activities of children they engage with as a means of increasing motivation and interest. The use of iPads as a therapeutic tool is on the rise due to the ease of access, their versatility, and acceptance by learners whose learning styles the iPads appeal to. Occupational therapists registered with the Ordre des Egotherapeutes du Québec and members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists were surveyed to study the use of technology like iPads in treatment and to identify possible facilitators and barriers involved in using iPads as a therapeutic tool. Almost half of the respondents reported iPad usage in practice. Portability and small size, ease of use, and increased use of technology were identified as the principal facilitators; while, lack of iPad availability, funding, and training/knowledge were the principal barriers found. For the nonusers, the lack of knowledge or evidence to support iPad’s effective use as a therapeutic tool was the leading barrier reported. However, these nonusers expressed a willingness to use iPads if they were made available to them. Further research is required to address the barriers identified and to determine the effectiveness and applicability of iPads in practice. This would shed light on clinical changes that might be required to promote iPad use in pediatric occupational therapy.