Strengthening school-based occupational therapy through peer mentoring

ABSTRACT

This article evaluates a peer mentoring experience for school-based practitioners and its effect on collaborative consultation practices. Best practice and public school policy promote the use of collaborative consultation services but school-based practitioners report significant barriers in achieving effective collaborative consultation practice. Contract therapists were recruited from three (geographic district) schools to participate in a 6-week peer mentoring experience, using technology and self-determined goals to improve competency. Pre- and post-project mixed methods measurements demonstrate that the experience improved perceived competency in eight areas, and that peer support, goal implementation, and the organized time frame supported new collaborative practices by participants.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative consultation
• peer mentoring
• competency
• school-based occupational therapy

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the therapists of the Western Pennsylvania public schools who participated on their own time to this pilot study. We would also like to acknowledge Chatham University Faculty and the 2015 Doctoral Cohort for their research support and Sally Bucey for her technical support.