CO-OP Approach and Cerebral Palsy

The OT treatment approaches that are gaining support from evidence, seem to have one common thread between them:

The clients set their own goals. 

Today, we look at a pioneer of this client-centered process, The CO-OP Approach™. We’ll dive into a new research article where, yet again, we see CO-OP outperforming conventional therapy — this time for children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

After we review the article, we’re honored to welcome to the podcast the founder of this approach, Helene J. Polatajko, PhD. She and I will discuss the implications of her work for all OTs, when it comes to goal setting and focusing on performance in our treatments.

1. You will be able to recognize the impact of children setting their own goals.

2. You will be able to identify reflexive questions you can utilize during treatment to encourage self-generated problem solving.

• Intro

• Breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • Intro to CO-OP Approach and Cerebral Palsy

  • OT Potential Podcast intro

  • What is the CO-OP Approach™?

  • Does the CO-OP Approach™ work?

  • Intent of this research

  • Research methods

  • Research results

  • Discussion

  • Conclusion

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with Helene Polatajko)

  1. How the CO-OP Approach™ was born

  2. Formally researching the Approach

  3. Initial impressions of this research

  4. Addressing performance versus specific components

  5. Who is a good fit for the CO-OP Approach™?

  6. Explaining the importance of setting your own goals

  7. Explaining the importance of trial and error and reflective questions

  8. Important therapist qualities

  9. The Olympic Spirit in OT

  10. Final thoughts

Primary

• The cognitive orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (co-op) approach is superior to ordinary treatment for achievement of goals and transfer effects in children with Cerebral Palsy and spina bifida – a randomized controlled trial

Additional

• Therapists’ experience of the cognitive orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (co-op) approach: Shifting from conventional practice

• Efficacy of the cognitive orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (co-op) approach with and without parental coaching on activity and participation for children with developmental coordination disorder: A randomized clinical trial

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Helene Polatajko led the creation of the CO-OP Approach™, the intervention examined in this course, and is a co-author of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure.