Preface

Occupational therapy focuses on optimizing the ability of an individual to perform the ac‐ tivities that they need and want to do and thereby participate fully in life. This book is the result of an ongoing deep interest in the importance of activity in occupational therapy and therapeutic use of activity in the holistic rehabilitation approach.

As an academician, my interactions with students and practicing occupational therapists in‐ spired me to learn more about activity and its effects on the individual. My deep interest in learning how I might blend knowledge from the field of occupational therapy with my exist‐ ing physical and occupational therapy knowledge gave me the chance to understand the creative, artistic and spiritual approach focusing on activity.

The core subject of this book is activity and the effects of activity participation on *human performance and participation*. This book aims to support valuable occupational therapy re‐ search and clinical practice and it presents different procedures for creating efficient occupa‐ tional therapy programs for different groups of individuals to increase health, quality of life and well-being.

This comprehensive book lays the foundation of occupation-based practice and addresses the contextual issues in different occupational therapy practices. The chapters cover topics about the importance of occupational therapists' knowledge on how to use activity in their practice. The topics are covered from a basic to advanced level, including the ultimate level of independence of the individual who needs occupational therapy.

The findings from this book confirmed the need for a text addressing issues for use by edu‐ cators, students and practitioners of occupational therapy at various levels of development.

While editing this book, I learned new things about occupational therapy, and my goal is to share with you what the authors have learned during their occupational therapy journey. Additionally, I dedicate this book to the exceptional therapists whose work is featured in this book. Generously, they contributed their time, personal reflections, and revealing stories of practice to serve the interest of education and knowledge development in occupational therapy.

I also want to dedicate this book to Melya, light of my life…

**Meral Huri, PhD, Associate Professor** Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty of Health Sciences Hacettepe University, Turkey

**Section 1**

**Occupational Therapy in Various Populations**

**Occupational Therapy in Various Populations**

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Occupational Therapy's Role in the Treatment of**

**Occupational Therapy's Role in the Treatment of** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.78696

Occupational therapists (OT) offer a wide range of therapies for individuals with ASD on the basis of specific deficits and difficulties. This chapter explores the role that OT plays, and the expertise, in relation to the interdisciplinary team. In addition, it discusses and presents empirical support for several therapeutic approaches commonly used by OTs

**1.** Understand and explain the role of occupational therapy in the treatment of autism spec-

**2.** Understand the application occupational therapy interventions to individuals with autism

**3.** Identify and describe a variety of popular therapeutic approaches utilized in occupational

**4.** Analyze popular therapeutic approaches for treating autism spectrum disorders using an

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders**

**Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders**

Bryan M. Gee, Amy Nwora and

Bryan M. Gee, Amy Nwora and

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78696

working with individuals with ASD.

**Keywords:** occupational therapy, ASD, treatment

After completing this chapter, readers will be able to:

therapy for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Theodore W. Peterson

Theodore W. Peterson

**Abstract**

**1. Learning objectives**

trum disorders.

spectrum disorders.

evidence-based practice lens.

#### **Occupational Therapy's Role in the Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Occupational Therapy's Role in the Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.78696

Bryan M. Gee, Amy Nwora and Theodore W. Peterson Bryan M. Gee, Amy Nwora and Theodore W. Peterson

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78696

**Abstract**

Occupational therapists (OT) offer a wide range of therapies for individuals with ASD on the basis of specific deficits and difficulties. This chapter explores the role that OT plays, and the expertise, in relation to the interdisciplinary team. In addition, it discusses and presents empirical support for several therapeutic approaches commonly used by OTs working with individuals with ASD.

**Keywords:** occupational therapy, ASD, treatment
