Conflicting Definitions of Self-Regulation in Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Self-regulation is a critical concept in occupational therapy, influencing daily functioning and participation.
• Understanding its conceptualization within the literature is essential for consistent practice and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize how occupational therapy literature conceptualizes, discusses, describes, implies, and operationalizes self-regulation.
• To identify the distinct constructs and terminology used to define self-regulation in this field.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review guided by PRISMA-ScR and JBI methodology.
• Searches across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, ERIC) for studies from 2000-June 2023.
• Content analysis of 64 included studies after screening 4159 articles.

Main Results:

• Five distinct self-regulation constructs were identified: self-regulation, executive function, emotion regulation, interoception, and social-emotional learning.
• Self-regulation and executive function were frequently discussed as linked constructs.
• Varied terminology was used to describe and define these constructs.

Conclusions:

• The occupational therapy literature encompasses five key self-regulation constructs.
• There is a noted lack of congruence between measures, interventions, and the underlying self-regulation construct.
• Further clarification and standardization of self-regulation terminology and operationalization are needed in occupational therapy research and practice.