The effect of parent-child interaction training on early intervention occupational therapists

This study determined strategies that occupational therapists are using to improve the parent-child relationship and determined how effectiveness of the strategies is measured by the therapists. A self-developed survey was emailed and completed by early intervention occupational therapists across the United States. The likert scale had 94 respondents, and 74 responded to the open-ended questions. A regression analysis determined a significant difference between how therapists were trained in parent-child interaction and their survey scores, indicating that type of training impacts treatment. Therapists responded to the open-ended questions by either placing the therapist in control, the parent in control, or a blend of both. Analysis of responses revealed that although most therapists are delivering family-centered services, some are still delivering child-centered services. Results indicate that training, not experience, determined use of evidence-based treatment strategies thereby adding support for multi-modal trainings to increase the likelihood that occupational therapists will deliver family-centered services.