Occupational Resilience (Part 2): Toward a Cross-culturally Relevant Measure of a Novel Construct

Occupational resilience (OR) refers to an individual's ability to persist in performing an occupation, with the duration and intensity of engagement determining resilience for each occupation. It is a key determinant of both the manner and the extent to which occupations influence health; therefore, it is a promising construct with several potential applications. There are currently no validated OR measures; which problematizes its application. Three considerations were made in designing the Occupational Resilience Measure (ORM 1.0) and evaluating its potential as a cross-culturally relevant measure of OR: 1) the findings of a published study of lived experiences of refugees from non-Western cultures; 2) Western occupational therapy theories, and 3) evaluations of six American occupational therapy scholar-clinicians. The qualitative study identified five factors that produced sustained participation in one occupation [music]. Four of these factors were developed as subscales of ORM 1.0, namely, History, Experience, Benefits, and Adaptation. On evaluating links between these factors and Western theories, we found constructs that closely align with the four factors, which are measurable and/or modifiable variables associated with long-term occupational performance. Lastly, we considered the results of six American scholar-clinicians who evaluated ORM 1.0 via an anonymous survey and supported the tool as valid, clinically relevant, and unique. The high degree of correspondence between the four ORM 1.0 factors and Western constructs suggests strong cross-cultural relevance. We recommend further studies and cross-cultural application and testing of ORM 1.0 in clinical practice and research.