Occupational Therapists' Rehabilitation Orientation Toward People Who Are Incarcerated.

Abstract

One hundred seventy-two occupational therapists in Alabama completed an online survey to identify factors associated with their orientation toward rehabilitating people who are incarcerated. The level of the respondents' rehabilitation orientation toward people who are incarcerated was assessed using the Rehabilitation Orientation Scale (ROS). Results indicated that the respondents' attitudes were favorable and comparable to those on the prison rehabilitation team. Respondents who considered working in prison settings had 2 times greater odds of favoring rehabilitation intervention than those who did not consider working in prison settings. None of the respondents' personal attributes and professional experience variables were significantly associated with the ROS score. Findings provide an initial direction indicating that resources should be placed on recruitment of occupational therapists to work in the correctional setting.