Occupational Therapists’ Creativity: Tapping Into Client Centeredness Using a Novel Creativity Questionnaire

Abstract

Abstract Importance: To further the understanding of client centeredness in the context of creativity. Objective: This study’s objective was to explore the client’s uniqueness as the key motivator of creativity in the occupational therapy process using a novel assessment tool, the Creativity in Occupational Therapy Questionnaire (COTQ). Our hypothesis was as follows: “Clients and their characteristics are more important to the creativity of an occupational therapist than the occupational therapist’s personality.” Design: This study is part of a mixed-methods study. The COTQ, consisting of five clusters of items, was pretested for clarity and reliability in a pilot study (α = .90). It was then used in an online survey of Slovenian occupational therapists. To analyze data, factor and regression analyses were used. Setting: The survey was completed online. Participants: The survey was sent to all electronic addresses obtained from the Association of Occupational Therapists of Slovenia and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ljubljana. It was completed by 250 occupational therapists, which represented more than 40% of all Slovenian occupational therapists. Results: Occupational therapists included in the study reported that clients triggered and encouraged their creativity. Both the client’s uniqueness, B = .574, t(197) = 12.24, p < .01, and the occupational therapist’s personality, B = .388, t(197) = 6.51, p < .01, had a statistically significant influence on creativity in the occupational therapy process. Conclusions and Relevance: This study supports the importance of creativity in client-centered practice and provides a quantitative measure of this concept, which could be used in future longitudinal studies. What This Article Adds: This article suggests that the individual client is the most important factor in the creative process of an occupational therapist. It introduces a novel assessment tool and provides suggestions on how to facilitate a client-centered approach using creativity.