Intervention

Occupational therapy intervention takes place after an occupational therapy evaluation. The intervention process is designed to facilitate clients' engagement in occupations and improve health and wellbeing. The intervention process includes three phases: the intervention plan, intervention implementation, and intervention review.

Intervention plan

Occupational therapists collaborate with clients, families, and care partners to develop tailored intervention plans. Intervention plans direct the actions of the occupational therapy practitioner, and describe the approaches and types of interventions that will be used to target the client's desired outcomes.

Intervention plans are developed based on:

• The client's goals, values, beliefs, and occupational needs
• The findings from the client's occupational profile and performance analysis
• The client's unique environmental and personal context
• The best available evidence
• The requirements of the practice setting

Intervention implementation

Occupational therapy practitioners collaborate with clients, families, and care partners to carry out intervention plans. Different types of interventions may be used, depending on the client's needs.

Types of occupational therapy interventions

• Occupations and activities: Used to support the development of performance skills and performance patterns to enhance the client's occupational engagement.
• Interventions to support occupations: Certain methods and tasks (e.g., physical agent modalities, self-regulation strategies, orthotics and prosthetics, assistive technology, environmental modifications, and wheeled mobility) are used to prepare the client for occupational performance.
• Education and training: Used to provide clients with the necessary background knowledge and skills to engage in specific occupations.
• Advocacy interventions: Used to empower clients to seek and obtain resources to promote health, wellbeing, and occupational participation.
• Group interventions: Used to develop skills for social interaction and occupational participation.
• Virtual interventions: Technology (e.g., video conferencing, simulation) is used to increase opportunities to address performance skills and occupational engagement.

Intervention review

Occupational therapy practitioners collaborate with clients, families, and care partners to continuously monitor, review, and reevaluate the client's progress towards outcomes. This process is called intervention review and includes the following steps:

1. Reevaluate the intervention plan and how it is implemented relative to the client achieving the outcomes of occupational therapy intervention.
2. Modify the intervention plan as needed.
3. Determine the need for continued occupational therapy services and for referral to other services.

Reference

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001