Investigating the impact of an occupational therapy approach on occupational participation and engagement of people with disabilities in the Lebanese labor market: A single-case experimental design

Introduction: Work inclusion of people with disabilities (PWD) is a pivotal area of occupational therapy (OT). National and international legislation underlines the rights and duties of PWD concerning workplace inclusion. Despite legal frameworks promoting PWD rights in employment, significant barriers exist. Few studies have explored OT interventions in this context. This research aims to assess the impact of an OT-based job coaching intervention on PWDs’ participation and engagement in the Lebanese labor market. Method: Using an ABABA design, the study involved 27 sessions applying job coaching principles within an OT framework. Three employed individuals with disabilities, facing workplace challenges, participated. Baseline data included task execution speed and errors. Occupational participation and engagement were measured using the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool. Results: OT-based job coaching effectively enhanced PWD’s participation and engagement, reducing task errors and execution time, thereby addressing some occupational challenges. Conclusion: Based on the outcomes of this study, integrating job coaching with OT approach may improve job performance for PWD. Future research should replicate these findings on a larger scale to validate their applicability in Lebanon and globally.