Date Presented 04/03/2025
This poster will share findings from a study about OTs’ perspectives on supporting parents with disabilities, including insights on how to improve confidence and knowledge when addressing parenting occupations in clinical practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: John V. Rider
Contributing Authors: Anne Honey, Evelina Pituch, Veronica O’Mara, Margaret McGrath
PURPOSE: Parenting is a valued, common, and challenging occupational role that can be further complicated by a lack of disability-specific support. Yet, occupational therapy currently has a low profile in supporting parenting, and little is known about occupational therapists’ (OTs) perspectives.
DESIGN: This paper uses data from an international cross-sectional survey to examine OTs knowledge and confidence in supporting parents with disabilities.
METHOD: We distributed an online survey via email, social media, and an OT-parenting website. Participants were OTs who worked with adults between the ages of 16 and 64 as primary clients.
RESULTS: A total of 77 OTs from the US completed the survey. Almost all (96%) indicated that parenting is within their scope of practice. However, most reported feeling not very confident or comfortable assessing or addressing parenting. Personal experience as a parent contributed most to the knowledge of parenting occupations, followed by working with parents, being parented, interactions with specialists, reading/research, informal observations, and entry-level OT training. Most (56%) felt their entry-level OT program did not provide them with sufficient skills to address parenting confidently. OTs felt the following is needed to better support parenting for clients with disabilities: further continuing education and research, increased advocacy, practical tools and resources, interprofessional collaboration and support, increased access and service delivery models, and improved entry-level OT education (e.g., simulated experiences, formal training, exposure to parents with disabilities).
CONCLUSION: OTs recognize parenting as a crucial area within their scope of practice, but many feel inadequately prepared to support parents with disabilities effectively.
IMPACT STATEMENT: Increased research, resources, advocacy, continuing education, and content in entry-level education are needed to support OTs in addressing parenting occupations.
References
Lim, Y. Z. G., Honey, A., & McGrath, M. (2022). The parenting occupations and purposes conceptual framework: A scoping review of ‘doing’ parenting. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 69(1), 98–111. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12778
McGrath, M., Honey, A., Codd, Y., Rider, J., Morrison, R., Abizeid, C., Zein, H., Tan, H., Sim, S., Yunus, F., Romli, M., & Pituch, E. (2024). Every parent matters: The value of a parent-centric approach to supporting parenting occupations and roles. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1177/03080226241241221
Pituch, E., Bindiu, A. M., Grondin, M., & Bottari, C. (2022). Parenting with a physical disability and cognitive impairments: a scoping review of the needs expressed by parents. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(13), 3285–3300. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2020.1851786
Rider, J. V., & Selim, J. (2022). Supporting the role of parenting for people with Multiple Sclerosis: A guide for clinicians. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 103(9), 1891–1894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2022.05.010
