OBJECTIVE:
This study measured the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in pediatric occupational therapy practice and the linkage of frames of reference and intervention foci to specific components, categories, and subcategories of the ICF.
METHODS:
A total of 78 participants completed an online survey. A standardized linking process was used to determine the linkage of frames of reference and intervention foci to the ICF.
RESULTS:
Most frames of reference and intervention foci were linked to the ICF component of body functions, and 81% of participants reported that they did not use the ICF to make clinical decisions or communicate with other health care professionals.
CONCLUSION:
One limitation of this study was the small sample size; thus, the results cannot be generalized. Further, lack of contextualization of the intervention foci in the results created difficulty in identifying whether participant-identified intervention foci were linked specifically to the ICF activity or participation component. Future research should explore the use of the ICF in other areas of occupational therapy practice and linkage of the ICF to other occupational therapy data.
