The Role of Occupational Therapy in Promoting Social Skills of Children With Disability at Abigail Foundation
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Date
2024-08-16
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
This study explored the role of occupational therapy in promoting social skills of children with disabilities at Abigail Foundation. The study objectives include; investigating the role of occupational therapy in promoting social skills of children with developmental disabilities,
examining the role of group play therapy strategy in the enhancement of social skill
development of children with disabilities, examining the influence of collaboration between parents and occupation therapists in the enhancement of social skill development of children with disabilities.
The study was conducted using qualitative approaches with a combination of an exploratory research design and semi-structured interviews were administered to the main study population and key informants. Additionally, the observational check list helped in documenting
observational behaviors and the study findings found that despite the challenges registered by occupational therapists when dealing with children with disabilities, occupational therapy plays a significant role in the enhancement of social skills of children with disabilities. However, this therapeutic approach requires collaborative efforts with parents, other professionals, interventions, and strategies like group play therapy strategy.
The researcher concluded that these therapeutic approaches emphasize holistic assessments and targeted interventions to effectively address social skill deficits, and promote positive interactions hence contributing to long-term social integration. The researcher further
recommended that to facilitate long-term integration, social workers should advocate for community-based rehabilitation since it’s a community-based strategy. The government should also invest more in special needs schools since the schools are few and expensive which limits children from marginalized communities to have access to education.
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Undergraduate research