Impact assessment of an occupational therapy intervention with emphasis on occupational performance of children and adolescents with visual impairment

Abstract

Vision is the main route of perception of environmental stimuli and its impaired leads to lowering of the individual’s occupational performance. In this context, the occupational therapist can act as a facilitator of competent occupational performance. This study consisted of a quantitative approach, exploratory descriptive and aimed at describing the results of occupational therapy intervention in the occupational performance of children and adolescents with visual impairment in major demands identifi ed. For data collection was applied Canadian Occupational Performance Measure before and after the intervention. The sample consisted of 13 individuals, including children and adolescents 8-13 years old, of both sexes, diagnosed
with blindness or low vision. Interventions were conducted weekly in the period from March to December 2011. The main demands for intervention identifi ed by the clients were: use of knife and fork; snack preparation; recognition and choice of clothes; and dress up. Obtained an average change in performance and satisfaction of 3.66 and 3.87. The occupational therapy intervention, through customer-centric approach and techniques used, was effective in
promoting occupational performance of children and adolescents with visual impairment.