| In this phenomenological study, five parents/guardians of students receiving school-based occupational therapy were interviewed. The researcher posed questions to explore the participants' perceived efficacy of school-based occupational therapy and to determine what factors contributed to their perceptions. Interview transcriptions were coded, sorted into categories and developed into themes. The first theme, service delivery models, is comprised of the categories service time: direct and non-direct; type, private/public; and administrative policies. The second theme, parental-therapist communication, was developed from the single category of the same name. The third theme, perceptions of therapy, is comprised of the categories of goals, student IEP, therapist, and satisfaction/dissatisfaction. The final theme, program improvements, was developed from the category of the same name. Revealed components that are valued by parents as well as areas requiring improvement include describing the requirements for therapy service provision before beginning therapy and providing ample time for therapists to conference with parents. |
