Procedures for assessing the quality of play in occupational therapy practice: an exploratory study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In literature, it has been confi rmed not only the scarcity of studies about the activities related to play but also the instruments of evaluation of the quality of play used by occupational therapists in clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: Investigate the way occupational therapists have carried out protocols of evaluations the quality of play. METHODS: Data have been collected through semi-
structured questionnaire applied to ten occupational therapists who work with children in different services and intervention proposals in the city of São Paulo. Data analysis was performed by qualitative strategies. RESULTS / CONCLUSION: Through qualitative analysis were created four thematic. It was observed that no interviewed applies standardized in their clinical practice. However, all interviews assess the quality of child’s play by direct observation of play activity and unstructured interview with the parents. All occupational therapists considered important to assess the quality of play to elaborate therapeutic plans.