‘Well,What is Occupational Therapy?’ An Examination of the Definitions Given by Occupational Therapists

Abstract

This article examines the spontaneous definitions of occupational therapy given by occupational therapists and relates the definitions to their current work setting. Data were collected by interviewing 46 occupational therapists working in East Dorset. The results showed that a wide range of words and phrases were used inconsistently to describe occupational therapy. The words and phrases were directly linked to the work setting. Recommendations are made to suggest that an improved definition of occupational therapy should be related to the work areas of occupational therapists. Also, a stronger professional identity should be established by examining the core elements of occupational therapy and including these in the definition.