Developmental Frame of Reference (Foundations in Occupational Therapy)

Developmental Frame of Reference – Foundations in Occupational Therapy BRIEF BACKGROUND Developmental Frame of Reference suggests that development is sequential, and behaviors are influenced by the extent to which an individual has mastered and integrated the previous stages. Infancy and childhood are dynamic periods of growth and change. This FOR views people as dynamic, developing, and people’s lives go through stages of growth and decline, which require necessitate adaptation by the individual. This FOR based on the normal human development. Generally, an occupational therapist uses this frame of reference in the kids with gross motor skills or fine motor skills delays. INTENDED POPULATION Since it is a < developmental= frame of reference, all ages are included since we all develop and grow. But in occupational therapy, the main focus of this FOR is the pediatrics. They used this FOR more on children whose have problems in development. THEORETICAL BASIS According to Lela Llorens, occupational therapy is a facilitation process that assists the individual in achieving mastery of life tasks and the ability to cope as efficiently as possible with the life expectations made of him or her through the mechanism of selected input stimuli and availability of practice in a suitable environment. In the main intervention or clinical setting, this theory is applied when the occupational therapist facilitates or assist, the adaptation process of the client within his/her environment. DOMAIN OF CONCERN Performance skills • Motor • Language and speech • Social and emotional • cognitive Activity Demands ASSUMPTION • Mastery of skills to an age-appropriate level in all areas of development is necessary to achieve satisfactory coping behaviors and adaptive relationships. Occupational therapy prevents developmental of maladaptive behavior and skills, and promote growth and developmental links to close the gap between the expectation and ability through skilled application of activities and relationships. FUNCTION-DYSFUNCTION CONTINUUM • 89Occupational therapy is a facilitation process that assists the individual in achieving mastery of life tasks and the ability to cope as efficiently as possible with the life expectations made of him/ her through the mechanism of selected input stimuli and availability of practice in a suitable environment.99 – Lela Llorens • Horizontal – concept of simultaneous Longitudinal – concept of chronology • Horizontal growth specifically refers to gains made in all the development that appear simultaneously in a given age. • Longitudinal growth is related to growth over time, observing the chronological age increments of the child. POSTULATES OF CHANGE  Postulates regarding change: It provides more concrete structure to the OT frames of reference. This step we can see the "CAUSE-EFFECT" phenomenon. It guides the therapist about the changes seen after applying the action. It transform abstract material stated in the theoretical base into practical actions that need to be taken by the therapist to facilitate change in the client  Postulates regarding intervention: Are guided by the postulates regarding which describe how an occupational therapist puts theory into action to facilitate change in the client. After an assessment the therapist can plan out the media and modalities according to the FOR. This postulates help the therapist to set client-oriented goals and implementation of different techniques to achieve those goals. This postulate also guide how to use this specific techniques and modalities according to the theory. APPLICATION TO PRACTICE It emphasizes on assessing and intervening incompetent or maladaptive skills that are not mastered during developmental stages. 1. A therapist must understand what he/she is doing and why he/she is doing it. A therapist also needs to be able to explain this rationale to patients, observers, and other professionals. This will improve his/her confidence during a therapy session. 2. A therapist can learn from the trial and error method initially if there is no senior or expert available to guide the expertise knowledge about the particular FOR 3. A therapist needs to improve his/her knowledge about the FOR. He/she may use different FOR in a single patient, but it is crucial to know the after-effect and why he/she is using them.