A Practice Analysis of Occupational Therapy and Impact on Certification Examination

Abstract

In 2003, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT®) conducted a practice analysis study of entry-level occupational therapy practice in the United States. Domains and tasks performed by the OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST REGISTERED (OTR®) or CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT (COTA®) practitioner and the knowledge required to perform them were identified and validated via a large-scale survey of practice. Professional background and demographics of OTR and COTA respondents were reviewed and determined to be representative of practice, providing a basis for generalizability of results from the sample to the population of entry-level certified occupational therapy practitioners in the United States. The main findings were summarized to reflect what is happening in current practice for individuals who have recently obtained the OTR and COTA certification. Critical and frequently performed tasks were identified, as was critical and frequently used knowledge. The validated tasks and knowledge statements serve as the basis for item classification activities related to the OTR and COTA examinations. The revised blueprint specifications were used to guide examination construction for the NBCOT OTR or COTA examinations beginning in 2005.