Thursday, August 18, 2016

Delivery of the Wilbarger Protocol: A Survey of Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practitioners

Our recently published article!


ABSTRACT

The Wilbarger Therapressure Program is a commonly used treatment approach utilized by occupational therapy professionals for the treatment of sensory defensiveness. The purpose of the current study was to investigate occupational therapy practitioners’ sources of training in the administration of Wilbarger Therapressure Program, the uniformity of administration in practice, and the diagnoses for which therapists recommend this treatment approach. Occupational therapists from across the United States participated in an online survey investigating specifics related to training and implementation of the brushing protocol. A total of 153 respondents reported using the Wilbarger Therapressure Program in practice. Almost half of the respondents received their education on the Therapressure program by attending the workshop offered by the Wilbargers. Forty eight percent of survey participants reported learning how to administer the Therapressure program by participating in hands-on training provided by another occupational therapy practitioner, 39% by attending the course taught by the Wilbargers, 7% by information obtained through word of mouth from another occupational therapy practitioner, 3% by information obtained through online research, and 3% by other means. The results of this study reveal that a variety of approaches exist related to the training and implementation of the protocol. It is the responsibility of all occupational therapy practitioners to obtain the proper training prior to recommending and implementing the Therapressure program. Because a standardized protocol for implementation of the protocol has not been published, the optimal means of training is for practitioners to attend the Wilbarger workshop.

KEYWORDS: Assistive technology, special education, sensory processing, occupational therapy, paediatrics,

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