EFFECT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION ON PERFORMANCE SKILLS AMONG PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND PARENTS’ SATISFACTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION
Keywords:
occupational therapy, performance skills, preschool children, parent satisfaction, early intervention, PSQ, CSQ-8Abstract
Background:
The transition from home to school presents developmental challenges that require robust motor, cognitive, and social-emotional competencies. Occupational therapists utilize activity-based frameworks to enhance performance skills and foster engagement in daily school occupations.
Methods:
A randomized controlled trial study was carried out at Santosh College of Occupational Therapy. Experimental group was given a 5-week multi-modal intervention that combined cognitive tasks, conductive education, Goals Activity and Motor Enrichment, and therapeutic listening for 45 minutes, three times per week, in addition to conventional therapy. The control group took part in the usual school-based activities. Assessments before and after the intervention were carried out using the Performance Skills Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8.
Results:
While both groups improved, the experimental group demonstrated superior post-intervention gains. Pre- to post-intervention PSQ scores in the experimental group yielded a Cohen’s d of 9.230 and Hedges’ g of 9.726, reflecting substantial performance enhancements. CSQ-8 scores showed Cohen’s d of 3.830 and Hedges’ g of 4.035, indicating marked caregiver satisfaction. Between-group post-intervention comparisons showed significant differences for both PSQ (t = -10.216, p < .001) and CSQ-8 (t = -10.680, p < .001).
Conclusion:
Structured, multi-modal occupational therapy significantly enhances performance skills in preschool-aged children and increases caregiver satisfaction relative to standard school activities.
