Chacala Aneta, McCormack Cathy, Collins Bethan, Beagan Brenda L
Occupational Therapy Department, LHO - North West Dublin , Dublin North East, Dublin , Republic of Ireland.
Scand J Occup Ther. 2014 Mar;21(2):107-15. doi: 10.3109/11038128.2013.861016. Epub 2013 Dec 12.
While disability is the focus of much attention in occupational therapy, there has been little attention paid to disability within the profession. Disabled therapists not only bring valuable perspectives on disability, but also pose important challenges to taken-for-granted assumptions about impairment and disability within the profession. At the same time, their cultural beliefs and values may clash with core assumptions of the profession.
This study analyses interview data from two disabled occupational therapists, part of a larger study with cultural minority therapists. Semi-structured interviews explored their experiences of professional practice in the context of societal belief in the superiority of non-disabled and "normal" ways of doing and being.
Some cultural values of participants clashed with the values and beliefs of their profession, particularly concerning independence. Negative attitudes of colleagues and managers were the key barriers to practice. The responsibility for bridging the disabled/non-disabled cultural divide rested with the disabled therapists, exacerbating inequity. Nonetheless, these therapists believed their disability experiences had advantages for practice.
Disabled therapists may be required to engage in invisible work to communicate across cultural differences, and to educate others. Respectful openness to difference could enhance the practice competence of both disabled therapists and their non-disabled colleagues. This demands critical reflexive attention to ableism within the profession.
虽然残疾是职业治疗中备受关注的焦点，但该行业内部对残疾问题却鲜有重视。残疾治疗师不仅能带来关于残疾的宝贵观点，还会对该行业中关于损伤和残疾的既定假设构成重大挑战。与此同时，他们的文化信仰和价值观可能与该行业的核心假设发生冲突。
本研究分析了两名残疾职业治疗师的访谈数据，这是一项针对少数族裔治疗师的更大规模研究的一部分。半结构化访谈探讨了他们在社会普遍认为非残疾和“正常”的行为及存在方式具有优越性的背景下的专业实践经历。
参与者的一些文化价值观与他们所在行业的价值观和信仰发生了冲突，尤其是在独立性方面。同事和管理人员的消极态度是实践的关键障碍。弥合残疾/非残疾文化鸿沟的责任落在残疾治疗师身上，这加剧了不平等。尽管如此，这些治疗师认为他们的残疾经历对实践有好处。
残疾治疗师可能需要从事无形的工作来跨越文化差异进行沟通，并教育他人。对差异持尊重开放的态度可以提高残疾治疗师及其非残疾同事的实践能力。这需要对该行业内的能力主义进行批判性反思关注。
