Date Presented 04/03/2025
This study explores perceived factors associated with collaborative planning among school-based OTs. This study investigates factors influencing interdisciplinary collaboration, including organizational support and perceived barriers or facilitators.
Primary Author and Speaker: Annette Gonzalez
Additional Authors and Speakers: John Luna, Thelma Ochoa
Contributing Authors: John Luna, Thelma Ochoa
PURPOSE: Occupational Therapy (OT) in school settings has evolved throughout the years to become an integral part of the interdisciplinary team contributing to student outcomes (AOTA, 2017, p. S2). Despite its importance, OTs (Occupational therapists) often face challenges with interdisciplinary collaborative practices within the school setting. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore perceptions of school-based OTs about the factors associated with interdisciplinary collaborations.
DESIGN: Using the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) as the guiding theoretical framework and interpretive lens, this ongoing qualitative study utilized purposeful sampling to recruit school-based OTs with (1) 2 or more years of experience (2) working full time in the school setting.
METHOD: Participants who met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in this study completed a 30–45-minute semi-structured interview. Data was transcribed and analyzed for codes and themes by researcher 1 (Cresswell, 2018). To enhance the rigor of the data analysis, codes and themes were discussed with researcher 2 and refined until a consensus could be reached.
RESULTS: Emerging themes include 1) Role Clarity and Significance, emphasizing the role of OTs and their collaboration with other professionals within the school; 2) Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration, emphasizing the necessity of clear communication and respect among team members; and 3) Organizational Environment and Support Structures, outlines the role organizational support in fostering a collaborative environment and the value of team leads for departmental communication.
CONCLUSION: The main findings of the study provide insight into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing collaborative practices among school-based OTs and other professionals ultimately aiming to improve student outcomes and overall effectiveness of occupational therapy services within educational settings.
References
Guidelines for occupational therapy services in early intervention and schools. (2017). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(Supplement_2). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.716s01
Creswell, J. W. (2018). Qualitative inquiry et research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.
