Occupational Therapy and Peer Mentoring: A Collaborative Approach to Enhancing Services with Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Background

? Increased development of post secondary programs for

students with intellectual disabilities 9

? Programs utilize peer mentors to facilitate life skills and

adaptive social behavior 3,5

? Gap in literature on how these peer mentors are trained

in social skill intervention

Central research question: Can a video modeling module improve

perceived competence and readiness of peer mentors to utilize

coaching methods to enhance social participation skills for students

with intellectual disabilities on a college campus?

Objectives

Explore gaps in the literature regarding how peer

mentors are trained in social skill intervention with

individuals with intellectual disabilities

? Determine if video modeling modules are an efficient

method of improving perceived competence and

readiness of peer mentors who are utilizing coaching

methods to enhance social participation skills for

students with intellectual disabilities on a college campus

? Explore methods of training for peer mentors

? Ultimately, enhance independence in social participation

and occupational engagement for students with

intellectual disabilities

Methods

A mixed methods approach to collect quantitative and

qualitative data.

• Quantitative: provide objective data about

perceived knowledge and readiness

• Qualitative: provide data of peer mentors

perspective on usefulness of video module

• A video module grounded in the CO-OP approach will depict a

successful and supportive interaction between life coach and

mentee.

Overview of Literature

Social Skill Deficits

? The DSM-V indicates that one of the three diagnostic criteria for intellectual disabilities

is “a deficit in adaptive behaviors, which limits functions in one or more activities of

daily life such as communication, social participation, and independent living across

home, school, work, and recreation” 1.

Peer Mentors

? A peer mentor, also referred to as natural support or life coach, is typically another

college student who helps “…support the student with ID to successfully navigate the

campus culture such as supporting a student to actively engage in a class, tutoring,

academic coaching outside of class, and socializing either on or off campus” 8

? Research supports that mentors need further training and support on how to transfer

their knowledge to their mentee on topics such the development of time management,

balancing work, school, and social life, assisting with academics and learning, and

with social skills 4

Video Modeling

? Video modeling is based on the social learning theory which states “individuals will

repeat behaviors that they have seen others perform, even across settings and in the

absence of reinforcement.14 Video modeling as an educational mode can provide a

clearer understanding of material that is presented, is more effective with contextspecific

environments, and is an overall helpful tool based on feedback from

participants who have viewed videos in relation to educational modules.2,10

Implications

• Further opportunity for research on effective coaching methods

• Exploration of coaching method for occupational therapists to use

with different populations

• Video modeling/educational modules as an approach to coaching

• Training others to use CO-OP strategies to facilitate social

interactions

• Consideration of other areas of occupation in education modules

Discussion/Conclusion

Coaching has been an expanding topic in occupational therapy

practice that can be used with peer mentors

? Peer mentors can help students with intellectual

disabilities work on social skills, accomplish goals,

and ultimately achieve greater independence 7,8

? Strengths - collaboration between the MOT students and staff

and the ELSA program

? Challenges - time constraints, scheduling with busy MOT

curriculum

? Takeaways - OT can make a difference in community practice,

rewarding to be able to apply OT theory and concepts to an

organization right on campus

Next Steps

? Participants will attend a scheduled meeting by their faculty

advisor, along with the researchers, to view the video module.

? At this meeting the pre and post module viewing surveys will be

completed by the participants.

? Two to three weeks after viewing the module, researchers will

conduct semi-structured interviews with participants.

? The data collected from the pre and post module viewing surveys

and the semi-structured interviews will be analyzed by the

researchers.

? Findings from the study will be presented to the peer mentor

faculty advisor and ELSA director.