Supporting parents with disability and other challenges through occupational therapy: What is needed?

This is a convenience survey of occupational therapists’ views, not a trial of occupational therapy parenting support, so it cannot show that any intervention works. Respondents were recruited through emails, social media and professional networks, and the authors say the sample may overrepresent therapists already interested in parenting. It did not include occupational therapists from all countries, and may not represent all therapists in the countries included. Most participants worked with adults with disability (95%), so findings mainly reflect that context rather than parents with other challenges. Authors were occupational therapy academics and clinicians who came to the study with a view to promoting occupational therapy support for parenting. Many outcomes are self-reported perceptions and coded free-text responses, not patient outcomes.

No funding or conflict-of-interest declaration is provided in the supplied text; authors are occupational therapy academics and clinicians who stated an interest in promoting occupational therapy support for parenting.

Do not read this as evidence that occupational therapy parenting support improves parent or child outcomes. It reports occupational therapists’ perceptions of barriers and needs, not results from a tested intervention.