- Tūhono home Hoki ki Tūhono
-
- Staff Directory
- Chief Executive Office Auckland International Office Corporate Services Finance Campus Services Functions and Catering Information Systems and Support Marketing, Communications and Engagement Learner Journey Academic Registry International Learner Services Te Punaka Ōwheo
- Learner Experience Academic Excellence Central Campus College of Community Development and Personal Wellbeing College of Engineering, Construction and Living Sciences College of Health College of Work Based Learning Open Education Resource/OERu Research and Postgraduate Studies Te Maru Pumanawa | College of Creative Practice and Enterprise
- Māori Development and Kaitohutohu Office People, Culture & Safety People and Culture Childcare Centre Te Ama Ako | Learning and Teaching Development Wellbeing and Safety Auckland Staff Directory Executive Office Academic Corporate Services Marketing and Business Development Human Resources Campus Quality and Programme Development
-
Our people make a better world
We build the capabilities of individuals, organisations and communities and help them to realise their potential.
Staff Directory
-
- Tools
- Academic Integrity Declaration Form AIC Applications Dashboard Approved Programmes Approved Programme Fees Centralised Assessement Repository Chemwatch CMS - Tūhono & StudentHub updates Course Evaluation and Surveys CRM Applications CRM customer service hub Delegations policy/process Disability and Neurodiversity Dynamics 365 (CRM) EBS Ontrack EBS Report Email Security Personal Portal Employment Matters / Solarworkplace eTaxi eTV
- Financial Variance Reporting Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme FCM travel intranet InPlace International entry requirements Knowledgebase articles Learner Capability Learner Support Dashboards Linkedin Learning Log a job with Marketing Login as an applicant Microsoft 365 Moderation App Moodle OP Docs OP Docs - Publishing OP Image Libraries Performance Excellence Portal Product Evaluation Panel
- Policy Library Privacy Programme and Course Design and Development Qualtrics XM RDS Remote Access Support Portal Research Database Robertson Library Staff FAQs about Graduation Status of Programmes Student Hub (Kāpehu demonstration view) Study Abroad info for learners Te Whare (Te Pūkenga intranet) Tūhauora I Wellbeing resources Uniprint Vault Webexpenses Auckland Tools
-
Vault
Had an accident or near miss?
Log it here
-
- Communities
- Community AI Steering Committee Ally Network EBS Community of Interest EdTech Champions Health & Wellbeing Research Internal Evaluation Neurodiversity Professional Team Professoriate Proud@OP Student Support Website Advisory Group Web Champions Working under the Rainbow Project Learner Capability Trade Training Centre
- Committee Academic Committee Animals@OP Diversity and Equity Doctor of Professional Practice Committee Kaunihera Whakahaere - Leadership Council Internal Evaluation Learning & Teaching Leadership Team Library Committee Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group Otago Polytechnic Board of Directors Pastoral Care Code Committee Programme Approvals Committee Research and Postgraduate Committee Research Ethics Committee Staff Subcommittee
- Think Tanks Mātauraka Our learners achieve educational success Pūtea Our financial success Tākata Our people, our team, our community Tiriti Our active commitment as a Treaty partner Tūroa Our commitment to be a sustainable and responsive organisation
-
Create a community
Do you have a community, committee or project that you'd like represented here?
Communities
-
- About OP
- Keep up to date All news All events All notices All blogs Share your info Create a news article Create an event Create a notice Create a blog
- Community and Partnerships Alumni and friends Education Foundation Operational information Academic calendar 2025 Academic calendar 2026 Current vacancies Dunedin campus map Our policies Te Whare (Te Pūkenga intranet) Topical FAQs
- Who we are Commemorative sites Māori Strategic Framework Our history Our strategic priorities Pasifika Strategic Framework (2025-2030) Vision and Values Working for us OP job opportunities Wellbeing Calendar Working at OP
-
New Zealand: 0800 762 786
contact us
International: +64 3 477 3014
Characteristics of Neurodiversity-Affirming Paediatric Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review
Author: Rebekah Innes
Supervisors: Ema Tokolahi Sian Griffiths
26 November 2025
Innes, R. (2025). Characteristics of Neurodiversity-Affirming Paediatric Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review [Master's thesis, Otago Polytechnic]. Research Bank. https://doi.org/10.34074/thes.7065
Abstract
Objective: The Research Project’s objective was to provide an overview of the available literature pertaining to Neurodiversity-Affirming (NDA) paediatric Occupational Therapy. This was to answer the question: “What does the literature tell us about the characteristics of NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy?” Introduction: The neurodiversity paradigm is emerging in the literature and encourages health professionals to adopt an NDA perspective to therapeutic practice. A scoping review was completed to provide an overview of the available evidence concerning NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy practice. Inclusion Criteria: To be included, articles needed to discuss Occupational Therapy, NDA practice, and Neurodivergent young people up to the age of 18. The types of evidence sources included were open to both academic literature and grey literature, to encompass a broad range of articles. Methodology: The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review framework (Peters et al., 2024) and Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) scoping review framework were used. A three-step search strategy was employed to identify relevant evidence sources across Taylor and Francis, CINAHL Ultimate, Google, and Google Scholar. Evidence sources were limited by publication date (2014-2025) and language (English). All identified sources were screened against the inclusion criteria through title and abstract screening, followed by full-text screening. Thirty articles were selected for inclusion. A data extraction form was created and piloted prior to being used to extract the relevant information. Data analysis included quantitative analysis and basic qualitative content analysis. Findings: The findings were grouped into the characteristics of the evidence sources and the characteristics of NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy. It was found that NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy involved taking a strengths-based approach, accepting neurodiversity, supporting access and inclusion, and prioritising client-led meaningfulness. NDA practice approaches like task and environmental adaptations, and coaching and education were identified and recommended in the evidence sources. Additionally, specific intervention frameworks that are potentially non-NDA were highlighted and described. Conclusion: NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy bears some similarities to typical Occupational Therapy practice, but with distinct differences. These differences include NDA practice’s emphasis on task or environmental adaptations, and the provision of education and coaching, rather than focusing primarily on skill development. The importance of accepting neurodiversity rather than attempting to change individuals was also emphasised. The Research Project provided a summary of the available literature regarding NDA paediatric Occupational Therapy.
Keywords
Neurodiversity-Affirming, occupational therapy, neurodiverse youth, intervention frameworks, NDA paediatrics
Licence
A copy of the thesis is publicly available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license
This licence applies except where otherwise indicated, especially for images.
