Role of occupational therapists in child welfare in supporting children with autism spectrum disorders in early childhood: Analysis of fact-finding surveys using text mining

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of occupational therapists (OT) in the child welfare field who support children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early childhood. A questionnaire with open-ended responses was conducted, and a co-occurrence network diagram was created using text mining. The results showed that the following eight categories were identified, including “Proposal of opportunities to experience group activities and play,” “Intervention based on occupational performance,” and “Life support for children in cooperation with preschools. These findings were consistent with and encompassed the roles associated with child development support, such as “individual support,” “family support,” “transition support,” and “community support and collaboration.” The significance of supporting the lives of children and their families as a central role of OTs in the child welfare domain was highlighted, and the OTs themselves acknowledged this role.