Abstract
The Occupational Performance Coding System (OPCS) captures the communication and physical assistance used by the OTP and caregiver to support a child in treatment and considers their perspectives on their interactions with each other and the child.
Primary Author and Speaker: Kelly A. Moran
Additional Authors and Speakers: Mary Beth Kadlec, Jane Lam
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder, with increasing prevalence affecting 1 in 10 children. This presents mental health challenges, reduced quality of life, and poorer functional outcomes. Variability in individuals and family dynamics complicates the assessment of OT treatment efficacy, and families encounter barriers regarding cost, access, stigma, and low self-efficacy, hindering their engagement in care. Effective parental engagement and scaffolding strategies significantly influence child outcomes, yet reliable research methods to assess their impact are lacking. Research is crucial to understand how social interactions, communication strategies, and physical assistance affect OT engagement for caregivers and children with ADHD. This research aimed to determine whether the Occupational Performance Coding System (OPCS) can reliably identify how interactions between the OT practitioner (OTP), caregiver, and child with ADHD impact the child’s participation in OT sessions. It also aimed to assess whether the OPCS can effectively capture the perceptions of the OTP and caregiver regarding these interactions. This was a non-experimental two-part quantitative design, recruiting participants via convenience sampling from an outpatient clinic. OT sessions were recorded, and the OTP and caregiver completed surveys after each session. The OPCS was used to analyze the videos with high inter-rater reliability achieved. Data analysis included affective ratings, frequency/proportion of behavioral codes, and survey responses. This study confirmed the OPCS captures OTP and caregiver perceptions, while identifying participant interactions and their impact on the child’s participation. The OPCS serves as a valuable tool for research, education, clinical practice, and family-centered care, enhancing understanding of how interactions and scaffolding strategies influence a child’s occupational performance.
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