Cultural issues from practice

Abstract

This paper addresses cultural issues in occupational therapy practice through a review of the occupational therapy and culture literature and a brief exploration of key issues highlighted in analyses of discussions and critical incidents in transcripts of interviews with 86 occupational therapists. The data, collected in conjunction with the Intercultural Interaction Project, highlights seven important categories of issues from the perspective of therapists: (i) professional values; (ii) family roles and responsibilities; (iii) communication; (iv) social behaviours; (v) gender; (vi) 'sick' role; and (vii) explanatory models. The importance of the therapist's personal and professional values stands out even more strongly in our data than in the occupational therapy literature. This suggests that increased awareness of personal and professional values is one of the most critical issues for the development of culturally competent practitioners and satisfying, successful intercultural interactions. Our work suggests that the development of cultural competency based on issues associated with actual events is 'best practice' for addressing the needs of all clients and practitioners.K E Y W 0 R D S cultural competency, culture, culture education, ethnicity, intercultural interactions, occupational therapy practice.

Parents’ and Service Providers’ Perceptions of the Family Goal Setting Tool: A Pilot Study

“…Service providers reported an improved capacity to engage and involve families from different cultural and language backgrounds through use of the FGST. Communication and language have been found to be critically important cultural issues in occupational therapy practice (Fitzgerald et al. 1997).…”

“…Service providers reported an improved capacity to engage and involve families from different cultural and language backgrounds through use of the FGST. Communication and language have been found to be critically important cultural issues in occupational therapy practice (Fitzgerald et al 1997). They identified that one of the most important features of intercultural communication was developing a means of articulating and reconciling these differences, in a satisfying way for all involved.…”

The meaning of leisure for well‐elderly Italians in an Australian community: Implications for occupational therapy

“…Culture is reflected in its products: the learned, shared beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours that are characteristic of a society or population. Culture is not a static phenomenon; it is dynamic and ever changing, but it maintains a sense of coherence (Fitzgerald, Mullavey‐O’Byrne & Clemson, 1997, p. 3).…”

The axiological ontology of occupational therapy: A philosophical analysis

“…The inability of occupational therapists to clearly formulate their professional identity and role is worrisome. Even more so when one considers that the ability to make explicit the very fundaments of one's profession can strengthen professional identity (1), and, as a result, facilitate a client-centred approach (22), contribute to improved inter-professional collaboration (1,3), and develop a more effective practice both ethically (1,18) and culturally (23,24).…”