Client-centred practice and occupational therapy

Over the past 30-40 years people who receive health services have advocated for increased input and control into the services they receive. This has led to policy requirements for increased consideration of client perspectives in health care. Occupational therapy responded to these trends by developing client-centred guidelines for practice and concepts of client-centred practice have been elaborated extensively in the occupational therapy literature (Taylor, Suarez-Balcazar, Forsyth, & Kielhofner, 2006). 

Corring (2001) states that a participatory action research approach “fits well with a profession such as occupational therapy that seeks to empower clients, give them a voice, and understand their lived experience of illness and disability” (p. 15). Law (2004) notes that client-centred practice within occupational therapy and participatory action research share similar overarching values in that “each approach is flexible and centred on the development of a positive collaborative partnership” (p. 42). 

It would seem that participatory approaches to research have particular relevance to therapists working within the bicultural context of Aotearoa. Click HERE to read a brief and engaging discussion of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (partnership, participation and protection) in the context of health promotion.  Click HERE to read an article by Te Kani Kingi; 'The Treaty of Waitangi: A framework for Maori health development'. 

In the traditional medical model of health care the client role was to be a passive recipient of services. With a move towards a health promotion/prevention focus in health care clients/communities must see themselves as active agents capable of producing change. With a solid grounding in client-centred practice occupational therapists have the opportunity to further develop our understanding of partnership and collaboration by utilising participatory action research approaches.

References:

Corring, D. (2001). Participant action research. In J. V. Cook (Ed.) Qualitative research in occupational therapy: Strategies and experiences (pp. 13-23). Canada: Delmar. 

Kingi, T. R. (2007). The Treaty of Waitangi: A framework for Māori health development. New Zealand Journal of
Occupational Therapy, 54(1), 4-10.
Law, M. (2004). Building knowledge through participatory research. In K. W. Hammell, & C. Carpenter (Eds.) Qualitative research in evidence-based rehabilitation (pp. 40-50). Edinburgh: Elsevier. 

Taylor, R. R., Suarez-Balcazar, Y., Forsyth, K., G. Kielhofner. (2006). Participatory research in occupational therapy. In G. Kielhofner (Ed.) Research in occupational therapy: Methods of inquiry for enhancing practice (pp. 620-631). Philadelphia: F A Davis. 

Waa, A., Holibar, F., & Spinola, C. (1998). Programme Evaluation: An Introductory Guide for Health Promotion. Auckland: Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit, University of Auckland. Retrieved on September 3, 2011 from http://www.hauora.co.nz/resources/ToWandHP.pdf