In ADL interventions, how does family involvement compare to therapist-delivered interventions?

• A. Family intervention is as effective as therapist-delivered intervention.
• B. Family involvement is always inferior.
• C. Only therapist-delivered intervention is effective.
• D. Family involvement is irrelevant.

Answer: (A)

Involve the family because daily routines are where a child’s ADL skills naturally occur, and family members provide the cues, practice opportunities, and environmental support that help skills stick. When families are actively engaged—trained, coached, and given practical strategies—they can coach the child through real-life tasks at home, which often leads to outcomes that are just as good as those achieved with therapist-led sessions. This collaboration also improves carryover and generalization beyond therapy sessions, since the child uses the same strategies in relevant contexts.

So, the idea is that family involvement can be as effective as therapist-delivered intervention when it’s well-integrated with professional guidance and tailored to the child’s routines. The other statements—family involvement being consistently inferior, only therapist-delivered approaches being effective, or family involvement being irrelevant—don’t align with pediatric occupational therapy practice, which emphasizes partnering with families to support functional progress in meaningful contexts.