Physically Disabled Adults' Perceptions of Personal Autonomy: Impact on Occupational Engagement

Despite the prominence of the concept of autonomy in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities and within disability theory, the relevance of autonomy to occupational engagement is unclear. Using a qualitative, narrative approach, eight adults with significant physical disabilities engaged in iterative interviews exploring their life history and perception of autonomy in daily life. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and themed. Key themes that emerged were that participants valued autonomy differently; their perception of their own personal autonomy influenced both occupational choices and the meaning derived from occupational engagement. While some participants actively sought occupations in which they could make decisions, others preferred more supportive environments, yet all participants avoided situations in which their autonomy was undermined. Awareness of an individual's values regarding autonomy could assist occupational therapists to both select appropriate occupations for intervention and discuss the meaning derived from occupations, thereby enhancing client-centered practice.