Clarifying or Interpreting the Reason(s) for Client’s Problems of Occupational Performance

This chapter explores one of the critical features of the OTIPM: the step that encourages us to stop and think about our reasoning so we can plan appropriate interventions. It provides the ways of making decisions transparent. A critical phase in the occupational therapy process, and one which is often not clear to students, is how to determine from the assessment information the potential reasons why a person is having difficulty performing his/her occupations. "Clarifying or interpreting the reason(s) for client's problems of occupational performance" can also be described as professional reasoning. The process of reasoning is often difficult to articulate. For students to develop their professional reasoning skills, it is vital that there are opportunities to discuss ideas, and that students are appropriately challenged to advance those ideas. The reasoning process should highlight some potential causes for occupational performance challenges. In many cases, this is enough to make a start on planning and implementing interventions.