ABSTRACT
The evidence suggests that retaining a unique professional identity has become more difficult for occupational therapists in current healthcare services (Farnworth, 2003). While some occupational therapists are activity or occupation-focused, others are required to fulfil a host of generic clinical and support roles (Lloyd et al, 2002). In addition, many occupational therapists have chosen to offer intervention programmes that ostensibly focus on symptom reduction, such as anxiety management (Meeson, 1998). The risk is that occupational therapists could find themselves teaching coping strategies for occupational participation without reinforcing the value of the occupations themselves or increasing occupational participation. Indeed, concerns have been raised that occupational therapists may become so alienated from their original role that they cannot articulate their unique contribution to health promotion (Tremblay and Brousseau, 2011). For this reason, occupational therapists have been reminded to identify and pursue health-promoting activities in their everyday practice (College of Occupational Therapists, 2008). In addition, Pierce (2001) has urged occupational therapists to develop highly sophisticated design skills to ensure that activities match the participants’ goals.
