Enhancing Self-Help and Daily Living Skills through Occupational Therapy in Children with Mild Autism: An 8-Week Intervention in Lagos State

Children with mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience delays in self-help and activities of daily living (ADLs), which are essential for functional independence. Occupational therapy (OT) has proven effective in improving adaptive behaviour in children with ASD; however, there is limited empirical evidence of its impact in low-resource contexts such as Nigeria. This study investigated the effectiveness of an 8-week OT intervention in enhancing self-help and ADL skills in children with mild ASD in Lagos State. A pre-test–post-test quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 10 participants (aged 3–11) randomly assigned to experimental (n = 5) and control (n = 5) groups. The experimental group received 24 sessions of structured OT focusing on communication, gross and fine motor skills, and self-help routines. Data were collected using an adapted Individualised Education Plan (Vineland-II) and a Modified Child Occupational Self-Assessment. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a significant improvement in the self-help skills of the experimental group compared to the control group (p = .049, η² = 0.45), confirming the effectiveness of the intervention. No significant differences were found based on gender or age. The findings affirm the potentials of occupational therapy to improve ADLs among children with mild ASD in resource-constrained settings. The study contributes to localised evidence for integrating OT into early intervention and inclusive education strategies in Nigeria. It also highlights the need for greater policy support, therapist training, and parental involvement to sustain and scale such interventions.