Integration of the occupational profile in school-based occupational therapy evaluations: A mixed methods survey

The occupational profile is foundational to the occupational therapy evaluation process, however, its actual integration in school-based occupational therapy evaluations is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine how many school-based occupational therapists complete an occupational profile and how they integrate this in evaluations. A mixed-methods design was used via an anonymous survey with 10 closed-ended (quantitative) and 5 open-ended (qualitative) questions. Data were collected over a 5-week period. A total of 178 school-based occupational therapists were recruited through purposive sampling via social media and e-mail. Quantitative analysis included descriptive and associational statistics. Qualitative analysis utilized a phenomenological approach. Trustworthiness was established via audit trials, peer review, reflexivity, and rich descriptions. In total, 65.2% of the participants included an occupational profile in their school-based evaluation but only 59.6% thought the occupational profile is required and only 17.4% include the wording “occupational profile” on the evaluation report. Three themes emerged on how the occupational profile is integrated: I don’t; I do but not formally; I do. Conclusively, despite the requirement in the occupational therapy practice framework, school-based occupational therapists do not always include the occupational profile during their evaluations, necessitating a reminder and education to promote best practice.