Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Thesis

Department

College of Health Care Sciences – Occupational Therapy Department

First Advisor

Penelope Moyers

Second Advisor

Nardia Aldridge

Third Advisor

Sarah Schoen

Publication Date / Copyright Date

Fall 12-31-2024

Abstract

In Trinidad and Tobago, occupational therapy intervention is limited for children with sensory integration problems and their families due to the shortage of specialized occupational therapists. Parental training can change parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices about sensory integration and positively affect child outcomes. In this dissertation, the investigator conducted a four-session parent training, based on sensory integration theory and the Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning to optimize adult learning transfer. Thirty-two parents of children with sensory integration problems participated in the training. The investigator used Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation to evaluate the training outcomes, effectiveness, and impact. Outcome measures included the Sensory Processing Three Dimensions Occupational Performance Scale (SP3D OPS), the Parent Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices About Sensory Integration (Parent KAP-SI), the Participant Reaction Survey, and the Parent Behavioural Indicators Survey. Participants perceived the parent training as meaningful and relevant and improved their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (outcomes). Outcome measures could not capture effectiveness (i.e., whether the training led to changes in parental behavior). The training did not meet the predetermined impact criteria (i.e., improvements in children’s occupational participation and performance in three settings). Qualitative findings paired with the quantitative outcomes were suggestive that the training demonstrated positive results, but mixed method evaluation procedures should be used in the future. Families can benefit from the parent training model used in this dissertation while awaiting direct occupational therapy intervention.

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Keywords

Sensory integration, parent training, program evaluation, children

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