Purpose-Major gaps exist in the documented history of occupational therapy in Ireland. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to filling these gaps by providing an overview of three major transitions in Irish occupational therapy in the century preceding the opening of St. Joseph's College of Occupational Therapy in 1963. Research on occupational therapy's past is valuable not only for recording and commemorating key events and individuals but also for allowing reflection on and questioning of contemporary practice and assumptions. Design/methodology/approach-This descriptive paper draws on multiple documentary sources to present an overview of the first 100 years of the use of occupation as therapy/occupational therapy in Ireland from 1863 to 1963. Findings-Three major transitions in occupational therapy in Ireland are presented: from moral treatment and the use of occupation as therapy to medical patronage of occupational therapy, from medical patronage to the early/pre-professional era and finally from the pre-professional era to the era of professionally qualified occupational therapists. To illustrate these transitions, a small number of individuals and their contributions are discussed including
Purpose -This paper aims to examine the relationship between psychiatry and occupational therapy in Ireland through a case study of the development of the occupational therapy department in St. Patrick's Hospital, Dublin, from 1935 to 1969. Patronage by psychiatrists was an important factor in the professionalisation of occupational therapy internationally.
Introduction: Historical research can benefit health professions by providing a basis for understanding how current beliefs and practices developed over time. From an occupational therapy perspective, a need for deeper critical understandings of the profession has been identified; historical research can facilitate this process. Documentary research is a significant methodology in historical inquiry, but there is a dearth of guidance for occupational therapists wishing to employ this method. Method: A conceptual literature review was conducted to describe how to use documentary sources to understand the development of the profession, drawing on literature from the disciplines of history and occupational therapy. Results: The stages of historical documentary research are described: choosing a topic, sourcing and selecting evidence, and managing sources. How to consider the authenticity, credibility and representativeness of historical material is discussed. Various means to determine the meaning of historical evidence are considered, with chronological, thematic and theoretical approaches proposed. Conclusion: Methodological transparency is central to the process of historical documentary research. To enhance understanding of the quality of historical source material, adoption of the guidelines outlined is recommended. Adopting a clearly defined questioning perspective promotes more substantial conclusions and professional understandings.
Introduction: Historical research contributes to the critical perspectives called for in occupational therapy. Despite this, research on the history of occupational therapy education is limited. The only occupational therapy programme in the Republic of Ireland from 1963 to 1986 was the diploma at St Joseph's College of Occupational Therapy, Dublin, which followed the curriculum first of the Association of Occupational Therapists and from 1974 the British Association of Occupational Therapists. This study explores oral histories of pioneering students from that programme. Method: Oral history interviews were conducted with 19 former students of the programme who studied between 1963 and 1970. Interviews were thematically analysed. Findings: Participants described a curriculum with two subject foci: academic and activity-based subjects. Despite a focus on activity-based subjects in the curriculum, participants were ambivalent about their use in practice. They described a need to manage tensions arising from working alongside craft workers designated as occupational therapists. Throughout the interviews, claims for the professional status of occupational therapy were identified. Conclusion: The oral histories reveal a multitude of professionalisation strategies used to establish the profession in 1960s and 1970s Ireland. These findings have relevance for present day debates about professionalisation, occupation-focused curricula and interprofessional practice and education.
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