This research aims to explore the awareness of parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder about rehabilitation services developing self-care skills. A quantitative research method was used in this work, which allows to form knowledge based on precise logic, mathematical-statistical calculations. The study included an online and paper-based questionnaire survey where 35 parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder have participated. The use of the quantitative method for data collection and analysis made it possible to rigorously adhere to the aim and the objectives of the study as well as to obtain objective results, test the accuracy of the hypothesis, and establish causation. The summary of the results showed that the majority of parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder (81.8%) have a clear idea of ​​the services aimed at improving self-care activities and realize the importance of performing them independently. For 6.7% of parents, it was important that their children can perform self-care activities independently, but they did not take steps in that direction, and only 26.7% wanted to seek professional help. However, as parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder, select rehabilitation services for enhancing their children’s skills, being aware of appropriate services, and suitable intervention approaches were considered to be important points for approving children’s future independent life.

The study aimed to describe the characteristics of cooperation among the pedagogical-psychological group members while dealing with the issues of oral-motor dysfunction. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology. A semi-structured interview method was used for data collection with speech therapists, psychologists and occupational therapists (in total 6 specialists) to highlight the features of group work cooperation in the process of overcoming oral-motor problems. The analysis of the research data was carried out based on the descriptive method. The results of the research proved that during oral-motor dysfunction, the implementation of joint and mutually agreed activities, preliminary discussions of rehabilitation intervention planning and the ways of its implementation, and synchronizing the main approaches used by different professionals were important prerequisites for the cooperative work among the pedagogical-psychological group members. In addition, the desire of specialists to collaborate, the need to use complementary approaches and the planning of systematic group work discussions also determined the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process and ensured a positive result.

Objective: The study aimed to explore occupational therapy intervention approaches to strengthen and enhance the self-care skills of adolescents with autism. Method: This research used qualitative methodology and in total five occupational therapists working in rehabilitation centers were involved in expert interviews. The thematic analysis method was applied for data analysis and main categories were developed to describe occupational therapy intervention approaches used in enhancing the self-care performance of adolescents with autism (Guest, MacQueen, and Namey, 2012). Conclusion: Four themes were developed to describe the main difficulties of adolescents with autism in performing self-care activities: person-based difficulties in performing self-care activities; challenges in providing external assistance to carry out self-care. As well as effective occupational therapy support was formed to strengthen their active participation in self-care: execution of interventions based on adolescents' active involvement; a combination of occupational therapy specified approaches (using visual-verbal cues, chaining teaching, and time visualization).

The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the lived experience of participation in daily occupations of older people living on Social House in Armenia A total of eight participants (1 male, 7 female) who lived in social house in Yerevan, Armenia were in-depth interviewed in this study. The Empirical Phenomenological Perspective method (Karlsson,1993) was applied for analysing the interviews to explore the meaning structure of participation in daily occupations in social house as expressed by participants' lived experiences. Findings has identified three main characteristics of participation in daily occupations of eight older people living in Social House: Change in place – change in life; being dependent as doer – not free in making choices; Lack of environmental possibilities in daily living. The findings of the study highlighted older people's personal perceptions of current living place and importance of supportive environmental conditions which facilitate or challenge their participation in daily occupations. Subjective perception of the current place of living and experienced changes in daily occupation were identified among older people living in social house, which limited their possibilities to choose and maintain autonomy in daily occupations and in their social participation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the participation problems in school activities of the learners with special educational needs in order to establish the possible ways of Occupational Therapy intervention in school settings in Armenia. In total 111 learners with special educational needs were observed and their participation in educational and non-educational activities was assessed using the "Occupational Therapy School Skills Assessment'' tool. Since the educational environment considered being crucial for the learners’ participation, the school environment was observed to determine the features facilitating or burdening their involvement in all kinds of school activities. Quantitative research methodology was used to outline and summarize the participation problems of learners with special educational needs for establishing the possible ways of Occupational Therapy intervention. The results of this study highlighted that in the inclusive school in Armenia the learners with special educational needs still had participation restriction and their involvement in educational and non-educational activities was limited due to lack of individual skills and abilities, as well as not adapted environmental conditions. Learners with physical dysfunctions (62%) experienced mobility problems and had significant difficulties performing self-care activities, about 65% were not able to take part in outdoor events, permanent support and assistance were required. For the learners with autistic spectrum disorder (50%) communication with peers and staff members was still challenging and participation in the educational process was not effective.