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Australian occupational therapy journal
08, 2021;68 (4): 308-316.

Re-engaging in our role with communities: The coupling of occupational therapy and community development.

Laura Irvine-Brown, Vicki-Ann Ware, Ana Paula Serrata Malfitano, Amelia Di Tommaso
Author Information
  1. Laura Irvine-Brown: Associate Lecturer, Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia. ORCID
  2. Vicki-Ann Ware: Senior Lecturer, International and Community Development, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia. ORCID
  3. Ana Paula Serrata Malfitano: Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy Department and Post-graduate Program in Occupational Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. ORCID
  4. Amelia Di Tommaso: Lecturer, Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia. ORCID
PMID: 33751577 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1630.12728

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of occupational therapists are re-engaging in work with communities and populations to advance a social justice agenda. To assist in this endeavour, many are coupling occupational therapy and community development theory, as reflected in the social occupational therapy field. Social occupational therapy practitioners work with groups of people who do not necessarily have a health diagnosis or illness but who nonetheless experience occupational issues due to structural barriers within society. Practitioners work across micro- and macro-levels to not only alleviate symptoms of these issues but also to transform their root causes. Although community development is a logical partner to assist such practice, there are inherent tensions in the coupling of these disciplines. This study aimed to explore what theory occupational therapists were using from occupational therapy and community development to guide them in their social occupational therapy practice.
METHODS: This study employed a collaborative and participatory qualitative research method. Four occupational therapy community development practitioners each participated in two one-on-one dialogical interviews with the first author. These were transcribed and analysed using Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis.
FINDINGS: Findings were grouped into two themes: (a) Occupational therapy and community development - synergies and tensions, and (b) Of the profession but not in it. Findings highlighted the theoretical shortcomings of occupational therapy for community development practice, theoretical tensions between the two disciplines, and the 'underground' nature of occupational therapy community development practice.
CONCLUSION: Practitioners should be supported by the occupational therapy profession to be effective community development practitioners, capable of advancing the profession's vision of social justice. Future research should explore methods to support practitioners to navigate tensions between occupational therapy and community development, and bring this practice 'above ground'.

Keywords

community development occupational therapy social justice social occupational therapy

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MeSH Term

Community Health Services
Humans
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy
Social Justice
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 4

Word Cloud

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