The Meaning Gap in Occupational Therapy: Finding Meaning in our Own Occupation

Abstract

Background. Occupation is a core concept of our profession, yet little is understood about how therapists use occupation in clinical practice. Purpose. This study explores frontline clinicians' experience with occupation-based practice in a large academic health sciences centre. Methods. A qualitative constructivist study was conducted using thematic analysis, following in-depth interviews with 12 occupational therapists. Findings. Participants described the existence of two realities: Occupational therapy as they felt it should be practiced and as it actually is practiced. When the two were incongruent, participants experienced a meaning gap, which was expressed through four themes to reveal that a personal sense of occupation guides practice and transforms the meaning of the job. Implications. The exploration of personal occupational meaning through conscious self-reflection and co-creation of meaning with clients and their health care teams may serve to bridge the meaning gap.