Abstract
BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly prevalent in children living in the United States. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in 44 children are diagnosed with autism. Autism is a lifelong condition and has global impacts on a person’s development, functioning, and participation in society. Though each person’s presentation varies in severity and specific impacts, there are core features of the condition, including communication deficits, social interaction impairments, and restricted and/or repetitive behaviors. Associated with this condition are significant emotional and financial stressors on family. There are currently several treatments typically used to support individuals with autism and their families, including occupational therapy. Family-based treatments have grown in popularity as well, due to the importance of the whole family unit in the success of the child. The DIR/Floortime model is one model which was developed for individuals with ASD, and which focuses on parent-coaching. DIR/Floortime is designed to support parent and child interactions while facilitating emotional, intellectual, and social growth of the child.|AIM: This critically appraised topic (CAT) aims to investigate the effectiveness of a DIR/Floortime approach to occupational therapy for improving parent-child interactions in children with ASD.|METHODS: All articles used in the CAT were peer reviewed and published within the last 10 years. Research consisted of articles ranging between evidence levels I-III and prioritized in the following order: systematic reviews of RCTs (Level IA), followed by Level IB, then Levels II-III in the CAT. Research had to include: participants that were children/preschoolers who were diagnosed with autism; interventions that consisted of DIR/Floortime, based on DIR/Floortime principles, or were other play-based, parent coaching-oriented interventions; and an outcome that measured parent-child interactions.|RESULTS: Level IA, IB, 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B research completed on the effectiveness of the DIR/Floortime occupational therapy intervention program for improving parent-child social interaction in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders revealed strong evidence that this form of intervention used with this population will increase social interaction and participation between parent and child.