Occupational therapy for children and youth: UNE鈥檚 Jane O鈥橞rien offers solutions for success

Jane O'Brien

Jane O鈥橞rien, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, professor of Occupational Therapy at the 51品茶, was an invited scholar and speaker at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) as part of its Scholarship of Practice (SOP) lecture series.

O鈥橞rien鈥檚 presentation titled, 鈥淪trength-based intervention with children using the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO)鈥 illustrated the use of MOHO, current theory, research evidence and therapeutic reasoning to implement a strength-based approach for children and youth. O鈥橞rien鈥檚 research has found that strength-based approaches lead to increased self-efficacy and self-determination, which enhances continued occupational performance. Case examples highlighted practical strategies to apply the model鈥檚 principles in occupational therapy practice with children and youth.

UIC鈥檚 Scholarship of Practice lecture series is designed to disseminate evidence-based knowledge relevant to occupational therapy practice. Presentations contribute to the advancement, extension, and enhancement of professional clinical skills and scientific knowledge in the practice of occupational therapy.

The MOHO Clearinghouse is an international hub of research, scholarship, and cross-disciplinary collaboration involving the most evidence-based and widely cited conceptual practice model in the field of occupational therapy. During her visit, O鈥橞rien also contributed to the planning of the upcoming International Institute on the Model of Human Occupation, to be co-sponsored by the MOHO Clearinghouse and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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