How does the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) provide a framework for using social stories?
Answer
The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) reframes Social Stories from simple scripts into holistic tools that influence a client's motivation, habits, and environmental interaction. By targeting "volition," stories increase a child's personal causation and confidence, helping them feel capable of handling stressful events like fire drills or loud cafeterias. Furthermore, Social Stories support "habituation" by creating predictable routines and "performance capacity" by reducing the sensory and cognitive load during complex activities. This alignment allows OTPs to address the underlying factors that drive participation rather than focusing solely on observable behavior.
Dr. Aditi Mehra is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience across school, clinical, and educational settings. She holds a Bachelorʼs degree in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University and a Doctorate in Health Sciences from Midwestern University. During her doctoral studies, she also completed certification training in Behavior Analysis to further deepen her understanding of learning and behavior.
Dr. Mehra is the Director of the Chicago Fit Learning lab, where she integrates Precision Teaching and data-driven learning methodologies to support academic and developmental growth. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Lewis University and develops continuing education trainings for therapists and educators, with a focus on neurodiversity, learning, and AI-supported educational practices.
In addition to her clinical and educational work, Dr. Mehra is currently preparing her first published continuing education presentation and educational resources focused on innovative, evidence-based approaches in therapy and learning.
Related Courses
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