The role of occupational therapy in providing person‐centred transition services: implications for school‐based practice

Abstract

Two case study vignettes are presented to demonstrate the potential role of occupational therapy in the provision of person-centred transition services. Related to the study, the five aspects of performance described by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): performance skills, performance patterns, client factors, activity demands, and contexts, are examined. Based on the results of the study, the following suggestions are offered for incorporating person-centred principles into school-based occupational therapy service delivery. These are: (1) increasing the number and variety of community places students know and use; (2) assisting students in developing and expressing autonomy in both everyday and life-defining matters; (3) building experiences and supports so students can perform functional, age-appropriate, and meaningful activities; (4) ensuring that students develop valued roles and places in community life; and (5) creating access for students to the social network of community and ensuring the development of personal relationships and friendships. Since the transition experiences of only two students are presented in an anecdotal fashion rather than through more formal quantitative or qualitative research the results are limited and further research is recommended.