Introduction: Remote occupational therapy programs for children with autism spectrum disorder and primary caregivers have proven effective. However, it is hard to tell from quantitative results alone which factors made the intervention effective. Therefore, qualitative research is needed to better design remote coaching programs and identify factors behind effective interventions.
Methods: This study provided primary caregivers of children with ASD ages 3–7 with an eight-week (60-minute-per-week), 1:1, non-face-to-face, family-centered occupational therapy coaching program using a remote program (Zoom), followed by a semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic analysis method.
Results: Five themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews with the primary caregivers: “Changes in parental perceptions toward child participation in activities,” “Companionship for children/cooperative relationship between the therapist and the primary caregiver,” “Redefining the primary caregiver’s role through remote coaching,” “Enhancing children’s interaction skills,” and “Strengths of the remote coaching program and direction for improvement.”
Conclusion: This study is significant because it assessed the feasibility of remote occupational therapy services and drew implications for their effective operation. Remote coaching programs can contribute to redefining the role of the primary caregiver, facilitate therapist–parent collaboration, and improve the child’s participation in daily activities and interactions. Additionally, the practicality of non-face-to-face services was emphasized, and the need for supplementary face-to-face evaluations and the adjustment of individual sessions was raised. These results can provide fundamental data for the future expansion of the clinical application of remote occupational therapy services and policy development.