Occupational Therapy Division Philosophy

The philosophy of the Division of Occupational Therapy reflects that of the occupational therapy profession as stated in The Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy (AOTA Representative Assembly, 1979; AOTA, 1995).  The faculty of the Division reaffirms the mission of the School of Medical Professions and The Ohio State University.

 Human life includes a process of continuous adaptation.  Successful adaptation results in a sense of competence and self-esteem.  A competent person has sufficient resources to interact effectively with the physical and social environment and to meet the demands of an activity and context (White, 1959; Trombly, 1995).   A competent person demonstrates self-efficacy and successfully engages in activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation.  Occupational therapists focus on assisting people to engage in daily life activities that they find meaningful and purposeful.  Occupational therapists understand occupations and use of occupation to affect human performance and improve the effects of disease and disability. 
 

Occupational therapy is based on the belief that the organizing, self-fulfilling characteristics of occupations/activities make them important mechanisms of adaptation.  As such, occupation or activity becomes both the goal and the means of occupational therapy.  As an end goal or a means to the goal, occupation must be purposeful and meaningful.  The meaning of an activity or occupation resides in the individual, relates to family and cultural experiences, and connects mind and body.  Meaningful activities are those that the individual views as important, match perceived social roles, are viewed as important, are maintained in the individual’s repertoire of activities, and relate to life satisfaction.Occupation as a therapeutic means helps to engage the individual and organize behavior; its meaning creates an emotional response, helps motivate the individual, and relates to the individual’s value system. 
 

“Engagement in occupation” is the overarching outcome of the occupational therapy process.  The means and end of occupational therapy is client performance in occupational or activities that are meaningful and purposeful to the person.  The theoretic constructs of the profession guide clinical reasoning, selection of activity, choice of service delivery model, and mode of interaction with the individual.  Appropriate and competent use of theoretical constructs involves consideration of the strengths and needs of the individual, characteristics of the activity or task, constraints and resources of the environment, and standards of the service delivery system.

 The practice of occupational therapy is continually evolving with changes in society views of wellness, health, and disability, the aging of the population, changing life styles, emerging technology, and new models of service delivery.  Occupational therapy practitioners adapt to these forces while maintaining the core values of occupational therapy: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, privacy, confidentiality, duties, justice, veracity, and fidelity, (AOTA, 2000).
 

The right of the individual to quality health care necessitates provision of high quality education experiences to occupational therapy students.    Essential educational components include theoretical constructs, professional behaviors, technical skills, ethical standards, and their application to practice.  Our educational outcomes include knowledge, skills, and attitudes for evaluation, intervention, clinical reasoning, communication, and collaboration.  Our graduates will based their practice on research evidence and will pursue life long learning.