What should a COTA® do to help a client with OCD perform a cooking activity more efficiently?

The best approach to help a client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) perform a cooking activity more efficiently involves both an understanding of the client's specific triggers and the provision of practical strategies to manage anxiety associated with those triggers. In this context, reminding the client about their triggers for compulsive behavior is crucial, as it allows the client to be aware of what might provoke an overwhelming need to engage in compulsions.

By recommending the use of latex gloves, the COTA® is providing a tangible strategy that can help reduce the anxiety the client may experience when touching food. This allows the client to engage in cooking activities while feeling more secure and less vulnerable to compulsive reactions. The gloves serve as a barrier that can help mitigate the discomfort or fear that touching food may provoke, thus enabling the client to participate in the cooking activity more comfortably and efficiently.

In contrast, assigning a role that avoids contact with food altogether does not support the client's engagement in the activity itself, as it removes them from a significant part of the task. Encouraging the use of utensils can be helpful, but it does not address the underlying compulsive behavior as effectively as discussing triggers and coping strategies. Lastly, simply assigning the client a role in teaching hygiene may