"The Bigger Picture": Occupational Therapy Practitioners' Perspectives on Disability Studies

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Disability studies
• Clinical education

Background:

• Occupational therapy (OT) practice and clinical education can benefit from integrating disability studies (DS) principles.
• Understanding practitioners' perspectives is crucial for effective integration of DS into OT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore occupational therapy practitioners' views on incorporating disability studies principles into clinical education and practice.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to the integration of DS in occupational therapy.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing three focus groups with 27 occupational therapy practitioners.
• Grounded theory approach with constant comparative analysis to identify emergent themes.

Main Results:

• Key themes included convergences/divergences between OT and DS, impact of disability perspectives on service delivery, and clinician navigation of systemic barriers.
• Practitioners identified the incorporation of DS-aligned intervention strategies into practice.
• Analysis revealed influence of disability perspectives on service delivery and clinician navigation of systemic barriers.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy has not fully integrated disability studies critiques despite areas of alignment.
• Practitioners acknowledged professional, systemic, and societal barriers hindering DS integration.
• There is a recognized need for enhanced educational experiences, resources, and professional dialogue to advance DS integration in OT practice.