Occupational therapists’ Perspectives of Using Telehealth for Youth with Autism Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK: A Pilot Qualitative Study

Figures & data

Table 1. Interview schedule.

Tell me about the service you work in? where in the United Kingdom Demographic/background questions – gender, years of experience clinical experience How long have you worked in pediatrics and with ASD? How has the service you work in changed in response to COVID-19? Can you describe details of your experience using a virtual delivery service model for children and adolescents with ASD? Details on changes using telehealth – how you deliver, who are delivering to (i.e., children, families, parents …) How has the experience been for you?
Can you describe an example of how you have adapted your assessments and interventions methods (and generally your therapy sessions) to fit online practice during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are there any interventions and assessments that you have stopped using for online delivery? Can you describe your interventions strategies for using a virtual delivery service model? How may it be different from or similar to your face-to-face services? How do you work with families with children with ASD using telehealth? Can you describe how families engage in interventions and assessments via telehealth?
Can you describe any challenges or barriers with delivering services online? Can you describe any benefits of using telehealth methods? Can you describe strategies, skills and techniques that you have used to support the use of telehealth for children with ASD? Can you describe your feelings about these changes to service? Do you like it or not? Why or why not? Have you changed your feelings over the course of using it during the pandemic? Why have you changed your feelings?

Table 2. Participant Demographics.

Participant	Gender	Region	Clinical Setting worked with youth with ASD	Age group of service	Years of pediatric practice
Jennifer	Female	South East England	Sensory Integration therapy center	Children & Adolescents	1 year
Brianna	Female	South Wales	Independent practice	Children, Adolescents & Young people	11 years
Kelly	Female	South East England	National Health Service (Specialist complex neurodevelopmental service)	Children, Adolescents & Young people	17 years

Data Availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [RB], upon reasonable request.