Occupational Science Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The study builds on a previous study of the everyday occupations of 100 women who worked at home and in the paid workforce. Their pattern of daily occupations was depicted using time-occupation graphs inspired by the time geography... more

The study builds on a previous study of the everyday occupations of 100 women who worked at home and in the paid workforce. Their pattern of daily occupations was depicted using time-occupation graphs inspired by the time geography method, whereby the women's pattern of occupations were categorised and clustered according to complexity. For each woman, the level of complexity was operationalised as the frequency of shifting between three categories of occupation (main, hidden, and unexpected) and sleep, along with the frequency of unexpected occupations and whether shifts in type of occupation were concentrated in limited parts of the day, e.g., the mornings. The study had two aims. First, to test the hypothesis that among women who work at home and in the paid workforce, those with low-complex patterns of daily occupations would rate their health and well-being higher than women having medium-complex patterns. As well, those with medium-complex patterns would rate their health and well-being better than women with highcomplex patterns. Secondly, the study aimed to investigate differences among these subgroups in relation to sociodemographic factors. The hypothesis was partly confirmed. Increasing complexity was associated with lower levels of self-rated health, but not with lower levels of sense of coherence and well-being. With respect to sociodemographic factors, the women in the three subgroups differed in terms of level of education. The results tentatively confirm theoretical assumptions of a link between patterns of daily occupations and experiences of health, and provide an incentive for further research on this relationship. . Her research concerns the links between daily occupation and different aspects of health and well-being, as well as personal and environmental factors influencing these relationships.

In this chapter we discuss both social inclusion and participation broadly and consider multiple perspectives through which they may be understood. Most significantly, we draw upon the conceptual work of Sen and Nussbaum. To inform the... more

In this chapter we discuss both social inclusion and participation broadly and consider multiple perspectives through which they may be understood. Most significantly, we draw upon the conceptual work of Sen and Nussbaum. To inform the discussion, we draw upon data from Pereira's study of poverty and participation to highlight the need for such work from an occupational perspective.

Background: The concept of occupation has been widely discussed and developed theoretically in occupational science and occupational therapy. Objectives: To explore how older community living adults themselves describe and negotiate the... more

Background: The concept of occupation has been widely discussed and developed theoretically in occupational science and occupational therapy. Objectives: To explore how older community living adults themselves describe and negotiate the meaning and definition of "occupation". Methods: Twenty-seven persons in northern Sweden (67-95 years old) participated in workshops with audio-recorded discussions. The transcribed discussions were analyzed using discourse theory. Findings: Discussions started with efforts to establish a initial definition of occupation focusing on what kinds of practices could be seen as occupations. Second, there were significant efforts to value and grade different occupations, described as evaluative definitions. Last, participants resonated around the disadvantages of stable definitions of occupations, and put forth reflexive arguments for more relativizing definitions. Conclusion: While physical occupations were tellable, social and mental occupations seemed to require a language that was less familiar. Therefore, interventions that suggest participants to engage in social or mental occupations need to provide a language that makes non-physical occupations comprehensible as occupations.

Have an enjoyable, rewarding, and restorative 2019! Please feel free to share this newsletter with others. Produced as part of the Participation in Everyday Life Research Group Going from strength to strength On behalf of the team at... more

Have an enjoyable, rewarding, and restorative 2019! Please feel free to share this newsletter with others. Produced as part of the Participation in Everyday Life Research Group Going from strength to strength On behalf of the team at University of Plymouth I wish you all the very best for 2019. In this, our third newsletter, I have the pleasure of reflecting upon how the Participation in Everyday Life group, which is rooted in occupational science, is going from strength to strength. We had three PhDs graduate at this year's graduation ceremony; they explored occupational science from the perspective of older people, tenancy sustainment and outdoor adventure. We continue to thrive and grow because of our collaborations. As well as our colleagues in other disciplines at the University of Plymouth, we work with researchers at

As meaning is an essential component of occupation, this phenomenological study investigated the meaning behind the activities in a day program for 10 staff members and 10 consumers with moderate to severe developmental disabilities who... more

As meaning is an essential component of occupation, this phenomenological study investigated the meaning behind the activities in a day program for 10 staff members and 10 consumers with moderate to severe developmental disabilities who required assistance to engage in occupation. Methods included interviews with staff members and consumers, and participant observation sessions with consumers. Thematic analysis demonstrated that when the consumers actively engaged in activities and interacted with the staff members in specific ways, both parties found the activities meaningful. The themes were reflective of co-occupation and the importance of a good person-environmentoccupation fit.

Explaining the Concepts of Time Use, Tempo and Temporality This occupational terminology interactive dialogue concerns concepts that underpin our understanding of the human experience of time and time use. There have been many classic... more

Explaining the Concepts of Time Use, Tempo and Temporality This occupational terminology interactive dialogue concerns concepts that underpin our understanding of the human experience of time and time use. There have been many classic writings on time (

The interaction of occupation and space has long been studied in occupational science. Increasingly, occupational scientists take a transactional approach to examine the spatial nature of occupation. Drawing from Lefebvre's (1991) theory... more

The interaction of occupation and space has long been studied in occupational science. Increasingly, occupational scientists take a transactional approach to examine the spatial nature of occupation. Drawing from Lefebvre's (1991) theory of 'the production of space', this paper emphasizes that occupations are inherently spatial, but also that space is produced through occupation. We contend that Lefebvre's "spatial triad"conceived, perceived, and lived space as the three components of space productionand his dynamic conceptualization of space challenges a space/place dichotomy. An occupational reading of the spatial triad serves to demonstrate the prominent role of occupation in the production of space and draws attention to its intentionality. Our analysis shows that occupational scientists can contribute to a comprehensive, dynamic, and critical conceptualization of space. Such approaches are useful to critique theories that support and maintain regulatory power dynamics over space and bring novel insights on the spatiality of occupation. While occupation is the visible element of the production of space, Lefebvre's theory invites us to look beyond, to other elements that are in constant interaction with occupation.

While occupational scientists have studied the relationship between occupation and well-being, few studies have examined these constructs from the perspective of university (tertiary) students with disabilities. The purpose of this study... more

While occupational scientists have studied the relationship between occupation and well-being, few studies have examined these constructs from the perspective of university (tertiary) students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of occupational engagement and wellbeing from the perspective of university students with disabilities. The study employed a basic interpretive qualitative design. Researchers recruited 10 participants, 18 years and older, with a variety of disabilities using convenience and purposive sampling strategies to achieve maximum variation. The principal investigator conducted individual one-on-one interviews that lasted between 1Á2 hours and until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. The following themes emerged: (a) a strong desire to belong, (b) being a part of something beyond self, (c) academic achievement and preparing for the future as primary goals, and (d) the challenges of balancing one's university schedule with other life demands. Participants sought out occupations so they could belong. Through occupation, they felt connected with others, had fun, realized they could help others and could be successful academically, and expressed confidence that they could achieve their future goals. Being successful academically was the primary goal for all. Balancing the demands of an academic schedule and every day occupations was challenging and stressful. The findings provide support to the notion that being and becoming promote well-being and provide further insight into the relationship between occupation, identity, meaning, and well-being.

This article highlights a time-geographic approach to understanding the temporal patterns of people's occupations and their relationship to health and illness. It outlines the use of diaries to gather data and proposes that this method... more

This article highlights a time-geographic approach to understanding the temporal patterns of people's occupations and their relationship to health and illness. It outlines the use of diaries to gather data and proposes that this method makes it possible to study the everyday life context of individuals, capturing i) Activity contexts (everyday context and project context) ii) Geographic context iii) Social context and iv) Experiential context. The method has been used to gather information about activity patterns in everyday life, and further developed to identify health risks in a population and as a foundation for intervention in rehabilitation. Examples described are application of the method to promote change processes in a workplace and in a rehabilitation setting.

Human death and dying are events which involve intense experiences, both for people whose life is at an end and those around them. This article, a response to the question ‘Is dying arn occupation?’ explores some of the occupational... more

Human death and dying are events which involve intense experiences, both for people whose life is at an end and those around them. This article, a response to the question ‘Is dying arn occupation?’ explores some of the occupational implications of dying and an awareness of death. Both the approach of death and the experience of bereavement can be a time of great significance in the expression of human relationships through occupation. Whether the inevitable event of dying itself is an occupation is uncertain, but awareness of death provides an opportunity to review life narratives and affirm meanings.

Occupational therapy originated in social reform, but early in its history became allied with medicine and a biomedical perspective. Over the last two decades the profession has recognized the value of the work of its pioneers and sought... more

Occupational therapy originated in social reform, but early in its history became allied with medicine and a biomedical perspective. Over the last two decades the profession has recognized the value of the work of its pioneers and sought to argue for principles such as occupational justice and occupational balance, social inclusion, and for forms of involvement based in the community which centre on people doing things together. Th is three-volume work develops these perspectives. Th e fi rst volume is now available. Th e second and third volumes follow soon. Th e Editors and contributors lay out the theoretical background, and then through many vivid case studies show how these ideas are being put into practice internationally. And a seed was planted... includes theoretical perspectives, evaluations of projects in practice and education, approaches to working with communities, participatory approaches and research. And a seed was planted ... off ers 40 chapters by 85 authors with contributions from 20 countries in fi ve continents.

The number of jobs in manufacturing is headed down quite as much as up, and the attention of policy makers must be directed elsewhere: in particular, to finding ways of making socially productive kinds of self employment more rewarding,... more

The number of jobs in manufacturing is headed down quite as much as up, and the attention of policy makers must be directed elsewhere: in particular, to finding ways of making socially productive kinds of self employment more rewarding, in monetary as well as psychological terms. Stephen Toulmin 1 Who are the oppressed? For [Simone] Weil they are the workers, under capitalism and socialism and communism. The colonized under imperialism. Those people, millions she said, who have no power in the world and who live and die at the intentional whim of the managers, the dominators. Michelle Cliff 2 Artisanal or craft work has persisted in the world through the late 20th century. Individuals continue to use crafts to adapt to oppressive situations and groups to mobilize resistance to political and economic domination. This has certainly been the case in the Third and Fourth Worlds, where recent generations of once pre-industrial peoples are fighting for cultural survival 3,4. Pre-industrial crafts such as embroidery, wood carving, and quilting also have been used politically in the United States and elsewhere in the First World, where the Industrial Revolution supposedly has already come and gone. Embroidery, wood-carving, quilting.. . these are occupations according to the 1989 definition by Elizabeth J. Yerxa, founder of occupational science, and her colleagues: Occupations are "chunks of daily activity that can be named in the lexicon of the culture" 5. But what happens when the lexicon of the culture is contested? Then naming daily activities and interpreting their meaning becomes a political act 6. Crafts production, marketing, and preservation have political dimensions that neutral-sounding terms like "material culture" and "folk art" have tended to mute 7,8,9,10. This paper focuses on the overtly political use of crafts under conditions of threat to survival in the last half century. I hope to convince readers that culture, which I will define here as "patterns of meaningful everyday activity," is political-and that defining occupations "in the lexicon of the culture"

Accepted conference presetation UK 2015, paper to come in 2016

The Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) being elaborated within flow theory provides a unique opportunity to collect data about occupational experiences. Both four‐and eight‐channel models have been developed, to capture various... more

The Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) being elaborated within flow theory provides a unique opportunity to collect data about occupational experiences. Both four‐and eight‐channel models have been developed, to capture various dimensions of people's ...

Clark, noted that occupational scientists focus on three major components of occupation -form, meaning and function. Form, they stated, is the directly observable aspects of occupation that make it recognizable to us, whereas meaning is... more

Clark, noted that occupational scientists focus on three major components of occupation -form, meaning and function. Form, they stated, is the directly observable aspects of occupation that make it recognizable to us, whereas meaning is what the occupation symbolizes to the individual. Functions are concerned with the way the occupation is undertaken and whether adaptation is required or not. Linked to the function of occupation, and of particular relevance to this discussion, are questions concerning the relationship between occupation and health, subjective well-being, stress management, and quality of life .

The interaction of occupation and space has long been studied in occupational science. Increasingly, occupational scientists take a transactional approach to examine the spatial nature of occupation. Drawing from Lefebvre's (1991) theory... more

The interaction of occupation and space has long been studied in occupational science. Increasingly, occupational scientists take a transactional approach to examine the spatial nature of occupation. Drawing from Lefebvre's (1991) theory of 'the production of space', this paper emphasizes that occupations are inherently spatial, but also that space is produced through occupation. We contend that Lefebvre's "spatial triad"conceived, perceived, and lived space as the three components of space productionand his dynamic conceptualization of space challenges a space/place dichotomy. An occupational reading of the spatial triad serves to demonstrate the prominent role of occupation in the production of space and draws attention to its intentionality. Our analysis shows that occupational scientists can contribute to a comprehensive, dynamic, and critical conceptualization of space. Such approaches are useful to critique theories that support and maintain regulatory power dynamics over space and bring novel insights on the spatiality of occupation. While occupation is the visible element of the production of space, Lefebvre's theory invites us to look beyond, to other elements that are in constant interaction with occupation.

Despite growing attention to occupational justice issues, there has been very little research examining the everyday occupations of those marginalised by sexual orientation or gender identity. Building on a small body of literature... more

Despite growing attention to occupational justice issues, there has been very little research examining the everyday occupations of those marginalised by sexual orientation or gender identity. Building on a small body of literature concerning the occupations of gay men and lesbians, this paper explores the occupations of five transgendered persons. Qualitative interview data are used to examine both how participants' gender identities shaped their occupational engagements, and how their occupations were used to convey or express gender identities. The occupational focus tended to change over time. While in their early years participants faced occupational barriers and deprivation, during transition they were centrally involved with occupations concerning the health care system and financing bodily transitions. Later the most significant occupations centred on managing disclosure, self-care, managing relationships, and navigating employment. All participants faced occupational losses and adaptations, but also gained new, meaningful occupations.

The concept of ‘core category’ is most associated with the grounded theory method developed by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss but has been utilised in relation to other qualitative methods such as phenomenology. The terminology varies... more

The concept of ‘core category’ is most associated with the grounded theory method developed by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss but has been utilised in relation to other qualitative methods such as phenomenology. The terminology varies and a core category may sometimes be referred to or indexed as core theme, core meaning, core variable, or central category. A core category is the main theme, story-line, or process which subsumes and integrates all lower-level categories in a grounded theory, encapsulates the data efficiently at the most abstract level, and is the category with the strongest explanatory power......

Read about justice in everyday practice; austerity across the world and how it affects people's lives; the impact of neoliberalism on health systems; eco-social occupational therapy; evaluation in community-based practice and many more in... more

Read about justice in everyday practice; austerity across the world and how it affects people's lives; the impact of neoliberalism on health systems; eco-social occupational therapy; evaluation in community-based practice and many more in the new edition of Occupational Therapies without Borders, edited by Dikaios Sakellariou and Nick Pollard! A thought-provoking book, with 67 chapters and 150 authors from all over the world writing about the social and political aspects of occupation. This book aims to inspire occupational therapy students and practitioners to include transformational elements into their practice.

While a range of literature has explored the meaning of occupation, the lived experience of occupation has been relatively neglected. In this hermeneutic phenomenological study 12 New Zealand adults who had experienced a disruption to... more

While a range of literature has explored the meaning of occupation, the lived experience of occupation has been relatively neglected. In this hermeneutic phenomenological study 12 New Zealand adults who had experienced a disruption to their occupations were interviewed, on the assumption that disruption reveals things that are usually overlooked. The data were analysed by identifying key themes and engaging in a hermeneutic process informed by the philosophies of Heidegger and Gadamer. The findings suggest that the meaning of occupation is complex and tends to remain hidden. Three facets of meaning that work in unison, each interconnected with the other, emerged from analysis; the Call, Being-with and Possibilities. The findings of this study are considered in relation to selected literature, to build on current understandings of the meaning of the occupation. While the study is acknowledged to have limitations in terms of sampling, the findings do have implications for occupational science which include building on knowledge of the meaning of occupation and considering occupation from a context wider than that of the individual.

The purpose of this article is to build on and strengthen the understanding that occupation is central to the creation and expression of identity. The first goal is to explore the ubiquity of dress in Western society, as well as its... more

The purpose of this article is to build on and strengthen the understanding that occupation is central to the creation and expression of identity. The first goal is to explore the ubiquity of dress in Western society, as well as its seemingly mundane presence in daily life. The complexities and nuances of this occupation are explored. The second goal is to examine the occupation of 'doing dress' through the lens of women's gender identity. The authors utilize the specific lens of women's gender identity due to the significance of dress as a marker of gender identity. This article concludes with the need for more studies and analyses in occupational science that focus on dress and its importance to identity.

Abstract: In this article we argue for the development of an understanding of human occupation as being inherently political. Occupational therapy is broadly about the experience of ‘doing’ as the basis of social participation. This... more

Abstract: In this article we argue for the development of an understanding of human occupation as being inherently
political. Occupational therapy is broadly about the experience of ‘doing’ as the basis of social participation. This
requires access to the means of participation: space, facilities and resources for different forms of human action,
and occupational therapists need to develop an understanding of how access to these means is regulated. In this
article we develop an argument for the development of a political occupational therapy. We do this by outlining the
role of occupational therapists as activists as well as reflectors drawing on comparisons with cultural practice in
community publishing; by discussing the development of a language that will enable the recognition and exploration
of power differentials, and by delineating the importance of experiential knowledge.
Keywords: Professional Role, Social Participation, Political.

Occupying Disability: Critical Approaches to Community, Justice, and Decolonizing Disability Editors: Block, P., Kasnitz, D., Nishida, A., Pollard, N. (Eds.) • Groundbreaking new literature bringing together the fields of anthropology,... more

Occupying Disability: Critical Approaches to Community, Justice, and Decolonizing Disability Editors: Block, P., Kasnitz, D., Nishida, A., Pollard, N. (Eds.) • Groundbreaking new literature bringing together the fields of anthropology, disability studies and occupational therapy This book explores the concept of "occupation" in disability well beyond traditional clinical formulations of disability: it considers disability not in terms of pathology or impairment, but as a range of unique social identities and experiences that are shaped by visible or invisible diagnoses/impairments, socio-cultural perceptions and environmental barriers and offers innovative ideas on how to apply theoretical training to real world contexts. Inspired by disability justice and “Disability Occupy Wall Street / Decolonize Disability” movements in the US and related movements abroad, this book builds on politically engaged critical approaches to disability that intersect occupational therapy, dis...

This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) to better understand the way they experience careers. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is the underlying personality trait and is present in... more

This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) to better understand the way they experience careers. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is the underlying personality trait and is present in approximately 20 percent of the population, equally distributed across gender and racial lines. SPS is considered a non-normative personality trait in some Western societies and subcultures. Thus, many HSPs experience difficulty finding an appropriate match between innate temperament and career.
This qualitative research perspective employed semi-structured interviews with 35 participants recruited through social media web sites and snowball sampling. Participants in the study were primarily from the U.S., but also from five foreign countries. Participants were chosen based on answers to a recruitment questionnaire and Elaine Aron’s HSP Self-Test. Major findings reveal a complex, interwoven dynamic interplay between nine major themes: (1) empathy, (2) childhood’s influence, (3) self-care, (4) a rich inner life, (5) creativity, (6) high sensation-seeking, (7) the sociological perspective, (8) the experience of work, and (9) the integral being. The significance of this study is that it is the first of its kind to investigate this topic in a systematic, scientific manner.

Introduction: In response to growing interest in leisure in occupational therapy and the importance of understanding how occupations maintain, enhance and promote health and wellbeing, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to... more

Introduction: In response to growing interest in leisure in occupational therapy and the importance of understanding how occupations maintain, enhance and promote health and wellbeing, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore the experiences of walking for leisure.

Co-occupation refers to activities that require the participation of two or more people. While knowledge about co-occupation is expanding, few empirical studies have sought to advance the understanding of co-occupation in late life. The... more

Co-occupation refers to activities that require the participation of two or more people. While knowledge about co-occupation is expanding, few empirical studies have sought to advance the understanding of co-occupation in late life. The current study used interview data from one couple who participated in a longitudinal 2-year qualitative study among community-dwelling older couples plus photographs taken of them engaged

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to describe the values, behaviors, and beliefs of skateboarders in order to understand the meaning and identity derived from the occupation as well as cultural influences on attitudes toward... more

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to describe the values, behaviors, and beliefs of skateboarders in order to understand the meaning and identity derived from the occupation as well as cultural influences on attitudes toward injury. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven active skateboarders. Analysis of the data led to the development of a chronology of participation in the risktaking occupation of skateboarding. Results of this study illustrate that achieving one's best and the core value of freedom in the skateboarding subculture outweigh the risk of injury inherent to participation in the occupation. Skateboarders accept injury as an attribute of the occupation they practice and reinforce this acceptance on a social level.

This chapter digs into foundations of 20th and 21st century social thought and action to discuss radical practices in participatory art, social movements, and occupational therapy. The purpose is provide critical-constructivist resources... more

This chapter digs into foundations of 20th and 21st century social thought and action to discuss radical practices in participatory art, social movements, and occupational therapy. The purpose is provide critical-constructivist resources for interventions that engage people in collective actions of varying scales, from neighborhoods to international publics. A sharp right turn in world politics—marked by Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union and the 2016 presidential election in the United States—makes the need for such ‘social occupational therapies’ compelling. Beginning with the example of a high-profile participatory art project by Brazilian-born artist Vik Muniz, the chapter offers a framework called occupational reconstruction that is derived from the study of theories and practices used to engage, organize and mobilize people to transform everyday situations of marginalization and oppression.

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. The demand for occupational therapists in Canada is expected to grow sharply at an annual growth rate of 3.2%, compared to... more

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. The demand for occupational therapists in Canada is expected to grow sharply at an annual growth rate of 3.2%, compared to 0.7% for all occupations. At the same time, it is believed by occupational therapists in Canada that the Canadian public does not understand the role of occupational therapy. Occupational science is an emerging basic science field that supports the practice of occupational therapy. Given that newspapers are one source the public uses to obtain information and that newspapers are seen to shape public opinions, the purpose of this study is to investigate how “occupational therapy” is covered in Canadian newspapers from the term’s first appearance in 1917 until 2016 and how “occupational science” is covered from the term’s first appearance in 1989 to 2016. We interrogated the findings through the lens of three non-newspaper sources—two academic journals: Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy (CJOT) and Journal of Occupational Science (JOS); and one Canadian magazine: Occupational Therapy Now (OTN). We found that medical terms were prevalent in the newspaper articles covering occupational therapy similar to the presence of medical terms in the CJOT and OTN. However, the newspapers missed contemporary shifts in occupational therapy as evident in the CJOT, OTN and JOS—such as the increased engagement with enablement, occupational justice and other occupational concepts. The newspapers also failed to portray the societal issues that occupational therapy engages with on behalf of and with their clients, and the newspapers did not cover many of the client groups of occupational therapy. Occupational science was only mentioned in n = 26 articles of the nearly 300 Canadian newspapers covered with no concrete content linked to occupational science. The scope of occupational therapy presented in Canadian newspapers may be one contributing factor to a situation where occupational therapists in Canada think that there is lack of public understanding around their role, as readers are not getting the full picture and as such approach occupational therapy with different expectations. Given the lack of coverage of occupational science, readers will likely obtain limited knowledge about occupational science and its focus.

This qualitative study explored the experience of choir singing as an example of a leisure occupation. Data were collected through participant observations during choir meetings and one-to-one interviews, and analyzed using a comparative,... more

This qualitative study explored the experience of choir singing as an example of a leisure occupation. Data were collected through participant observations during choir meetings and one-to-one interviews, and analyzed using a comparative, interpretive method. Three themes emerged. Although participants at times felt unsafe or restless, the choir generally functioned as a platform where they felt safe and connected to others. Choir singing was experienced as offering a challenge, which seemed to function as a catalyst for the doing, a stimulus to act and a motivator to participate in the choir. The participants valued experiencing something different from the ordinary things in life, and being distracted from daily routines. The study revealed an interwoven relationship between the challenge provided by choir singing, the experience of doing something different, and the 'doing' itself, which brings about the perception of enacting wholeness. This 'wholeness' seemed to have been facilitated by both the challenging nature of the occupation and the safe environment in which the doing was situated.

It is deep within our hearts that we have to do this." Such words reflect the potency of subjective and social meaning of food occupations for older Thai women at Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. This paper presents the Thai... more

It is deep within our hearts that we have to do this." Such words reflect the potency of subjective and social meaning of food occupations for older Thai women at Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. This paper presents the Thai findings from a multi-site research project exploring older women's experiences of food occupations at Songkran in Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Christmas in Auckland, New Zealand, and Kentucky, USA. Narrative data for this study were collected through focus group interviews with 33 Thai women aged 60 years or over as the women talked about planning, preparing, and offering food at Songkran. The women's stories reveal the centrality of carrying on ritualistic food traditions in Chiang Mai society. They must know and follow the ancient ways and recipes taught by mothers and grandmothers as they prepare themselves and the foods for going to the temple where they offer food to the monks and their deceased ancestors. Happiness comes from earning merit, doing the jobs themselves and knowing they contribute to a good and generous Thai society. Their ways are the traditional ways. Doing and passing on food occupations to their daughters and granddaughters will "serve the good traditions forever." The findings from this study contribute to the occupational science literature through documenting food occupations and their meanings for older women within one cultural group. The multi-site nature of the project contributes to understandings of occupation that transcend cultural boundaries. Valerie and Clare both hold a compelling interest in understanding the meaning of what people do, particularly within the world of women. Their academic teaching and research supervision within occupational therapy and occupational science is informed and guided by their interests in people doing everyday occupations.

1. Abstract Professional autonomy is positively related to professional involvement, job satisfaction, motivation and meta-cognitive learning processes in developing a profession and its workplace practice. It also affects the general... more

1. Abstract Professional autonomy is positively related to professional involvement, job satisfaction, motivation and meta-cognitive learning processes in developing a profession and its workplace practice. It also affects the general well-being of individual professionals. Increased professional autonomy is associated with increased task variability and better customized patient-centered care. However, health profession in developing countries faces occupational injustice with violated role autonomy, hindering them from securing the full benefits of autonomy for its members, and impacting ability for future growth pathway for the profession. The aim of this paper is to present an analytical perspective of the current issues affecting the autonomy and progress of the Occupational Therapy profession in Malaysia. Three key concerns emerged. These were:-i) low numbers of occupational therapists in Malaysia, ii) low quality and lack of university-based education and iii) low professional autonomy experienced by Malaysian occupational therapists due to the dominance of the medical rehabilitation discipline. These issues affect the advancement of cost-effective, evidence-based, best practice for the consumers of rehabilitation in Malaysia who need occupational therapy clinical services. These issues have reduced the independence and interdisciplinary role of Malaysian occupational therapists in health and social care.

This study examined the construct validity of a model and measure of life balance conceptualized as congruence among both desired and actual time spent in activities, and equivalence in the degree of discrepancy between desired and actual... more

This study examined the construct validity of a model and measure of life balance conceptualized as congruence among both desired and actual time spent in activities, and equivalence in the degree of discrepancy between desired and actual time spent across activities that meet health, relationship, challenge/interest, and identity needs. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships between life balance, perceived stress, personal well-being, and need satisfaction. A total of 458 participants representing mixed demographic groups participated in the study by completing four instruments. Structural equation modeling results indicated that congruence moderated by equivalence predicted lower stress, higher personal well-being, and higher need satisfaction, but equivalence alone did not. Working, having children at home, and being non-white negatively moderated congruence and larger family size positively moderated congruence. This study provides initial construct validity evidence for the model and measure of life balance.

Background: Prompted by a study day at last year’s European Network of Occupational Therapists in Higher Education conference, this article explores the relationship between occupational therapy and occupational science in the context of... more

Background: Prompted by a study day at last year’s European Network of Occupational Therapists in Higher Education conference, this article explores the relationship between occupational therapy and occupational science in the context of the future development of the profession. Content: The authors consider some of the challenges currently being expressed within occupational therapy, particularly the move to define the profession in terms of its ‘origins in social transformation’, and the difficulties arising from its position in relation to a biomedical hierarchy. Conclusions: The authors conclude that occupational science may have much to offer but this underpinning knowledge base is not without additional challenges for a profession which is concerned with aspects of doing.

The call for a more socially responsive occupational science demands critical analysis of occupational injustice. While scholarship has highlighted the role of occupation in social transformation, less attention has been paid to the role... more

The call for a more socially responsive occupational science demands critical analysis of occupational injustice. While scholarship has highlighted the role of occupation in social transformation, less attention has been paid to the role of occupation in perpetuating the hegemonic social order. This paper explores the mechanisms of social inequality by arguing that occupation can be a site of reproduction