The importance placed by canadian occupational therapists on key values for the profession
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13096/rfre.v5n2.108Keywords:
Professional value, Occupational therapy, Axiology, Quantitative study, Descriptive researchAbstract
Introduction. Although there are many reasons for studying occupational therapists’ professional values, few empirical studies have documented them.
Objectives. The objectives of this study were to: 1) quantify the value placed by Canadian occupational therapists on key professional values; 2) explore the influence of participants or clients’ characteristics on the importance placed on these values; 3) document the nature of the barriers and facilitators to these values; and 4) identify values perceived to be the easiest and most difficult to translate into daily practice.
Methods. The study reported in this article consists in the 4th phase of an exploratory sequential mixed research design. Its purpose was to document the values of occupational therapy and those of occupational therapists. It consisted in a quantitative descriptive survey to which 327 occupational therapists from Canada, more specifically Quebec, participated.
Results. In relation to Objective 1, the three values the largest number of participants most valued are dignity, integrity and respect. The three values that are least valued by the greatest number of participants are spirituality, efficiency and innovation. In relation to Objective 2, the findings also revealed that the participants' ethics training impact on the importance given to professional values. It is also the case for the age and problem of the clientele, as well as occupational therapists’ age and years of experience. In relation to Objective 3, the barriers to actualizing the values most frequently encountered by occupational therapists are related to their milieu (meso-environment) or to society (macro-environment), while the facilitators of an actualization are essentially people and their interactions (micro-environment). Finally, in relation to Objective 4, the findings suggest that occupational therapists tend to cherish professional values they manage to mobilize in real practice.
Conclusion. The study’s findings are globally congruent with previous studies, although several results are unprecedented. Similar studies should be conducted in other countries to further explore the axiological foundations of occupational therapy, which influence the practice and development of the profession.
