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Goals of the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) model

Timothy Wolf, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L

June 16, 2014

Question

What are the primary goals associated with the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) model?

Answer

There are four primary goals associated with the CO-OP model:  skill acquisition, cognitive strategy use, generalization and transfer.  Skill acquisition is a primary goal of most of our rehabilitation interventions.  However the second goal of the CO-OP model, cognitive strategy use, is just as important as skill acquisition.  At times this is difficult for therapists and clients to understand.  It is important for the client to improve their performance with whatever task they pick as their goal, but it is equally important for the client to learn how to use a strategy in order to improve their performance with similar tasks and in different contexts.  Cognitive strategy use is what helps clients achieve generalization and transfer, which are the third and fourth goals of the CO-OP model. This provides the client with the opportunity for continued improvement in performance even after you are no longer working with them.

 

Editor’s note: This Ask the Expert was adapted from the article ‘Cognitive Strategy Training in Subacute Stroke: A Case Study’.  The complete article can be accessed here


timothy wolf

Timothy Wolf, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L

Dr. Wolf received his B.S. in Health Science-Pre Occupational Therapy from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri and his Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) from the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine. While pursuing his OTD, he completed the Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Training Program (PICRT), a one-year intensive clinical investigation training program at Washington University School of Medicine sponsored by a T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a result of his work in this program, he received his MS in Clinical Investigation from Washington University School of Medicine. He is the current recipient of a NIH-K12 career development award through the Comprehensive Opportunities in Rehabilitation Research Training (CORRT) program. Dr. Wolf is currently an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine.  Dr. Wolf investigates the impact of mild stroke on a person’s ability to return to everyday life activities. In particular, the focus of his research is on improving an individual's ability to return to work post-mild stroke.   


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