Introduction: Joyful participation in occupation is a catalyst for health, resiliency, and wellness. Children who have experienced trauma often struggle with occupational engagement due to the impact that trauma has had on their brain. Caregiver Coregulation Coaching (CCC) is a novel occupational therapy approach that prioritizes partnership with the parent to remediate participation challenges. The goal of CCC is warm, connected dyadic engagement between the child and caregiver during everyday activities.
Objectives
- Describe the impact of trauma on the brain and how these experiences hinder joyful occupational engagement
- List and describe the essential elements of CCC
- Evaluate the outcomes of CCC using data from a retrospective chart review.
Methods/Approach: Joyful engagement in occupation using CCC is achieved through implementation of several elements. First, caregivers are taught the impact of trauma on a child’s brain. Then, the caregiver and the OT work together to develop strategies that facilitate connection and safety that are integrated into the family’s routine. Finally, the caregiver and OT analyze difficult occupations and adapt the occupation to meet the child’s needs and create peace and joy during daily activities.
Implications and Conclusions: A retrospective chart review of this approach revealed changes on the Occupational Regulation Questionnaire and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure before and after treatment. This highlights the value of coaching approaches that focus on the caregiver’s knowledge and skill to improve quality of life for the child and their family. CCC supports family engagement in everyday activities for improved quality of life.