Addressing client spirituality in occupational therapy practice: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Research

Background:

• Spirituality is frequently discussed by clients during health challenges, including sickness, disability, and end-of-life care.
• Existing research on addressing spirituality in Australian healthcare is predominantly conducted by non-occupational therapy professionals.
• There is a need to understand how occupational therapists specifically integrate spiritual care into their practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe how Australian occupational therapists address spirituality within their clinical practice.
• To identify the approaches, themes, and responses related to client spirituality encountered by occupational therapists.

Main Methods:

• An interpretive phenomenological qualitative approach was employed.
• Thematic analysis was conducted on data from 23 individual interviews with Australian occupational therapists.
• Participants represented diverse practice settings across Australia.

Main Results:

• Three primary themes emerged: flexible approaches to inquiring about client spirituality, a diversity of spiritual topics raised by clients, and varied responses from occupational therapists.
• Occupational therapists demonstrated creative, often informal and flexible, methods for integrating spirituality into practice, frequently without formal training.
• Clients introduced a wide spectrum of spiritual concerns, with some not initiating spiritual discussions.

Conclusions:

• Spirituality is an integral and multifaceted aspect of occupational therapy practice.
• Occupational therapists can benefit from enhanced professional resources, self-awareness, and potentially formal training to better support client spirituality.
• Developing clear guidelines for self-disclosure, referral pathways, and participation in spiritual practices may further assist therapists in addressing client spirituality.