Occupational therapy theory, practice and research has increasingly emphasized the transactional relationship between person, environment and occupation. Occupational performance results from the dynamic relationship between people, their occupations and roles, and the environments in which they live, work and play. There have, however, been few models of practice in the occupational therapy literature which discuss the theoretical and clinical applications of person-environment interaction. This paper proposes a Person-Environment-Occupation Model of occupational performance which builds on concepts from the Occupational Therapy Guidelines for Client Centered Practice and from environment-behaviour theories. The model describes interactions between person, occupation and environment, outlines major concepts and assumptions, and is applied to a practice situation.

Parents reported gaining new knowledge and became more active and future-oriented in their planning. Further, they strongly valued the facilitator role and benefited from the social support provided by the group. Findings provide a unique snapshot of parental needs. Individualized support with an emphasis on citizenship, participation and inclusion were targeted topics. Future work should continue to explore optimal mechanisms for the provision of parent-focused transition support and the inclusion of parents as experts within healthcare settings.

Occupational therapy focuses on complex dynamic relationships between people, occupations and environments. Therapists must clearly communicate their practices and how their practice influences outcomes. This paper explores applications of the Person-Environment-Occupation Model (Law et al., 1996) in occupational therapy practice, and delineates how this particular model helps therapists to conceptualize, plan, communicate and evaluate occupational performance interventions. Three case studies illustrate how the model can be used by occupational therapists to systematically approach analysis of occupational performance issues while considering the complexities of human functioning and experience. The ways in which the model facilitates communication within and outside occupational therapy are explained. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model is offered as a tool for therapists to use in client(s)-therapist alliances to enable clients to successfully engage in meaningful occupations in chosen environments.

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