Use of mobile apps in occupational therapy: Therapist, client and app considerations to guide decision-making

Abstract

The use of apps is becoming an increasingly common experience for many people around the world. As this technology becomes embedded within the occupational history of our society, the growing number of available apps requires that occupational therapists be competent in determining the quality and appropriateness of apps for clinical practice. This paper provides detailed considerations that can be used by occupational therapists with clients to evaluate, and make decisions related to the selection of apps for practice. Grounded in the evidence-based occupational therapy framework, the proposed considerations allow the therapist to weigh therapist, client and app characteristics that are central to establishing whether a specific app is appropriate for use with a specific client. This paper extends the discussion of app evaluation, and provides guidance for current and future occupational therapists, on how to enable the participation of clients in our ever-changing technological world.