A Scoping Review of Interventions Delivered by Occupational Therapists in School Settings

This review describes available research on interventions delivered by Occupational Therapists (OTs) in schools to identify the outcomes addressed and in which tiers of support (universal, focalized or intense) the interventions are situated. Previous reviews focus on the effectiveness or efficacy of OT school interventions, but the participation of OTs has not been considered. Electronic database searches were conducted to locate eligible journal articles published in any language and using any methodology. The population were students aged 3 to 16 years, and interventions required to be delivered by OT practitioners targeting any outcome expected from an OT intervention. We identified 50 studies since 1990, the majority of which were pre-post studies addressing mostly school performance and conducted with students aged five to eight years old, with difficulties primarily in fine motor skills and diagnoses such as autism. Interventions were provided across all three tiers of support, but most were focalized interventions addressing academic tasks, particularly handwriting. OTs and researchers should reflect on the outcomes from OT addressed in the published interventions and the tiers of support these interventions have taken. This is vital for the school practice as it is constantly evolving and requires research that considers its reality.

Automated summary

This review explores the interventions delivered by Occupational Therapists (OTs) in schools and their outcomes based on the tier of support. 50 studies since 1990 were identified, primarily focusing on school performance and conducted with students aged five to eight years old. The interventions were provided across all three tiers of support, mainly addressing academic tasks, particularly handwriting. Reflecting on the outcomes and support tiers of OT interventions is important for evolving school practices.