State of Mental Health Research in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2008–2011

School-Based Occupational Therapists' Roles Supporting Transitions Into and Throughout Kindergarten to Grade 12: A Scoping Review

IMPORTANCE

Large educational transitions occur when students enter and exit school or move between grades or divisions within the kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) school system. For students with disabilities, the quality of large educational transitions affects academic and postschool outcomes, which is germane to school-based occupational therapists.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the school-based occupational therapy literature to describe the roles of occupational therapists in supporting large educational transitions and to identify relevant terminology.

DATA SOURCES

We searched six databases (CINAHL, EMCare, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO) for peer-reviewed publications in English with no date limitations.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION

We included articles focused on children and youth with disabilities and school-based occupational therapy services supporting large transitions within K to 12 education. Using directed content analysis, we reported on publication characteristics, occupational therapy roles, and terminology.

FINDINGS

We included 46 publications spanning 37 yr that addressed transitions into school (n = 3), within K to 12 grades or divisions (n = 10), or to exit secondary education (n = 33). Occupational therapists assumed many roles in supporting large transitions, some much more frequently than others; 125 transition terms were used across included articles with few terms explicitly defined.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

School-based occupational therapists' involvement in educational transitions is extensive, with potential for expansion. Consistency in terminology would support future research and practice. Plain-Language Summary: A large educational transition occurs when students move between a school, grade, or division as part of their K to 12 education. For students with disabilities, the quality of a large educational transition affects their academic and postschool outcomes. This review provides an understanding of how school-based occupational therapists support educational transitions for youth with disabilities. The review found that occupational therapists took on many roles, with the potential for expanding their roles. The review also identified 125 transition terms that were used across the literature review and found that few terms were explicitly defined. Consistency in terminology would support future research and expanded occupational therapy practice in this area.

Behavioral Health Competence: An Exploration of Army Reserve Occupational Therapists

The behavioral health competence of Army Reserve Occupational Therapists (OT) was examined by electronic survey to determine current levels of competence and highlight pre-deployment training needs. Results indicated that while Army Reserve OTs report high levels of behavioral health competence, many questions regarding diagnosis, assessment, evaluation, treatment planning, intervention, and progress arose throughout deployment. OT's often relied on skills from Level II fieldwork education and entry-level didactic education for competency. Perceived competencies may be compromised by curriculum changes in entry-level education, available fieldwork settings, and a lack of adequate training currently available prior to deployment.

P4 medicine and pediatric occupational therapy

Pediatric occupational therapy practitioners face a complex and ever-changing health care environment, creating many challenges and opportunities. P4 medicine is a systems approach to health care that emphasizes proactive wellness over reactive acute care disease management. The four Ps of P4 medicine stand for predictive, personalized, preventive, and participatory, concepts that align well with the practice of pediatric occupational therapy. P4 medicine offers a model for pediatric occupational therapy practitioners to demonstrate the value of occupational therapy services.