MOVING BEYOND INDIVIDUALISM: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN OCCUPATION-FOCUSED RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Summary of the Symposium: This innovative symposium explores the advantages of creating synergies between critical social theories, occupational science, and occupational therapy. Drawing on their respective research, each... [ view full abstract ]

Summary of the Symposium:
This innovative symposium explores the advantages of creating synergies between critical social theories, occupational science, and occupational therapy. Drawing on their respective research, each discussant will examine: (1) how dominant discourses and practices within and outside occupation-based literature and practice tend to locate ‘problems’ at the individual level; (2) how occupations and occupational engagement are shaped by structural inequities, and (3) implications for occupational therapy research and practice.
Precise timetable:
Introduction: 10 minutes
Three presentations: 45 minutes
Key points: 5 minutes
Discussion: 15 minutes
Background:
The impact of social determinants on individual and population health and wellbeing continues to garner international attention. However, both occupational science and occupational therapy have been critiqued for employing an individualistic lens. Such a lens can foster uncertainty about how to address social and occupational injustices.
Method:
Given a commitment to enacting occupational therapy’s social mandate, contributors draw on their research which examines how: structural factors create social and health inequities for Indigenous families and children (Gerlach); prevailing understandings of social inclusion reinforce social inequities for disabled youth (Teachman), and contemporary understandings of long-term unemployment shape occupational possibilities (Rudman, Aldrich & Huot).
Results:
Participants will gain insights into how critical perspectives can facilitate occupational justice and inform occupational therapy.
Conclusion:
Critical perspectives challenge occupational scientists and therapists to attend to the socio-political context of occupations and inform socially responsive forms of occupational therapy.
Application to Practice:
Critical perspectives have the potential to shift intervention towards addressing sociopolitical mediators of occupational engagement.