Effects of occupational therapy intervention on activities of daily living and awareness of disability in persons with intellectual disabilities

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapy intervention program on activities of daily living (ADL) ability and awareness of disability.
Methods:  Six persons with intellectual disabilities participated in the study, which was based on a single-case design. Assessment of Motor and Process Skills and Assessment of Awareness of Disability were used as evaluation tools.
Results:  Activities of daily living performance improved in five of the six participants after implementation of the program, with improvement across both motor and process skills. However, no clear improvement in awareness of disability was found following implementation of the program.
Conclusion:  It may be concluded from this study that persons with intellectual disabilities can benefit from occupational therapy interventions to improve ADL ability, even in the absence of any change in their awareness of disability.