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  • Re-engaging in our role with communities: The coupling of occupational therapy and community development

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    Irvine-Brown475131_Accepted.pdf (292.3Kb)
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    Accepted Manuscript (AM)
    Author(s)
    Irvine-Brown, Laura
    Ware, Vicki-Ann
    Malfitano, Ana Paula Serrata
    Di Tommaso, Amelia
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Di Tommaso, Amelia
    Irvine-Brown, Laura
    Year published
    2021
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Introduction: A growing number of occupational therapists are re-engaging in work with communities and populations to advance a social justice agenda. To assist in this endeavour, many are coupling occupational therapy and community development theory, as reflected in the social occupational therapy field. Social occupational therapy practitioners work with groups of people who do not necessarily have a health diagnosis or illness but who nonetheless experience occupational issues due to structural barriers within society. Practitioners work across micro- and macro-levels to not only alleviate symptoms of these issues but ...
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    Introduction: A growing number of occupational therapists are re-engaging in work with communities and populations to advance a social justice agenda. To assist in this endeavour, many are coupling occupational therapy and community development theory, as reflected in the social occupational therapy field. Social occupational therapy practitioners work with groups of people who do not necessarily have a health diagnosis or illness but who nonetheless experience occupational issues due to structural barriers within society. Practitioners work across micro- and macro-levels to not only alleviate symptoms of these issues but also to transform their root causes. Although community development is a logical partner to assist such practice, there are inherent tensions in the coupling of these disciplines. This study aimed to explore what theory occupational therapists were using from occupational therapy and community development to guide them in their social occupational therapy practice. Methods: This study employed a collaborative and participatory qualitative research method. Four occupational therapy community development practitioners each participated in two one-on-one dialogical interviews with the first author. These were transcribed and analysed using Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis. Findings: Findings were grouped into two themes: (a) Occupational therapy and community development – synergies and tensions, and (b) Of the profession but not in it. Findings highlighted the theoretical shortcomings of occupational therapy for community development practice, theoretical tensions between the two disciplines, and the ‘underground’ nature of occupational therapy community development practice. Conclusion: Practitioners should be supported by the occupational therapy profession to be effective community development practitioners, capable of advancing the profession's vision of social justice. Future research should explore methods to support practitioners to navigate tensions between occupational therapy and community development, and bring this practice ‘above ground’.
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    Journal Title
    Australian Occupational Therapy Journal
    Volume
    68
    Issue
    4
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12728
    Copyright Statement
    © 2021 Australian Association of Occupational Therapists. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Re-engaging in our role with communities: The coupling of occupational therapy and community development, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, Volume 68, Issue 4, pages 308–316, 2021, which has been published in final form at DOI. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
    Subject
    Occupational therapy
    Public health not elsewhere classified
    Science & Technology
    Life Sciences & Biomedicine
    Rehabilitation
    occupational therapy
    community development
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/408843
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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