Philosophy Of Occupational Adaptation

Philosophy of Occupational Therapy & Occupational Adaptation

Occupational Adaptation (OA) is a model that was originally developed in 1992 by Janette Schkade and Sally Schultz at Texas Women 's University. Schkade and Schultz (1992), defines OA as "state of competency in occupational functioning toward which human beings aspire" (p. 831). This theoretical model focuses on the holistic nature of the person and views competence in one 's occupational functioning. A person is the focus of this model, which gives that individual the power to make changes when faced with occupational challenges. The Philosophy of Occupational Therapy (OT) provides an essential overview of the Occupational Therapy practice framework. Correspondingly, it relates

Occupational therapy is client-focused. Occupation therapy practitioners use their knowledge of the transactional relationship among the person to reach a goal that enhances or enables participation in one’s role, habits, and routine within the home, community and other settings (AOTA, 2014). Achieving occupational goals can result in “health promotion and wellness, remediation or restoration, health maintenance, disease and injury prevention, and compensation” (AOTA, 2011, p.1). In order for the promotion of these goals to take place, one has to view their experience using relative mastery. Relative mastery is the perception of performance by the person who faced the occupational challenge. In other words, it is a self-evaluation that helps that person determine if his/her outcome was efficient, effective and satisfying to them. If the person achieves these three key elements, then they have the ability to utilize the same tools when faced with another occupational challenge. In the long run, this promotes individual, community, and population health, as stated in the Philosophy of

As the profession grows and evolve, so will the educational aspect of our profession. Occupational therapy educators and practitioners will be a catalyst within our profession in order to build on prior knowledge and experience and integrate new knowledge, experiential learning, and clinical reasoning to promote the integration of philosophical and theoretical knowledge that aligns with our values, ethics, and technical skills (Haynes & Jones,