The meaning gap in occupational therapy: finding meaning in our own occupation.

BACKGROUND

Occupation is a core concept of our profession, yet little is understood about how therapists use occupation in clinical practice.

PURPOSE

This study explores frontline clinicians' experience with occupation-based practice in a large academic health sciences centre.

METHODS

A qualitative constructivist study was conducted using thematic analysis, following in-depth interviews with 12 occupational therapists.

FINDINGS

Participants described the existence of two realities: Occupational therapy as they felt it should be practiced and as it actually is practiced. When the two were incongruent, participants experienced a meaning gap, which was expressed through four themes to reveal that a personal sense of occupation guides practice and transforms the meaning of the job.

IMPLICATIONS

The exploration of personal occupational meaning through conscious self-reflection and co-creation of meaning with clients and their health care teams may serve to bridge the meaning gap.