The Beliefs of Eleanor Clarke Slagle: Are They Current or History?

Abstract

This article identifies and discusses five philosophical beliefs expressed in the writings of Eleanor Clarke Slagle, a pioneer and founder of the occupational therapy profession. Her beliefs express a positive view of people's ability and capacity to change their habits and routines to better enable them to function and participate in community and social life. Slagle believed that clients should have an evaluation and intervention program based on individual needs and goals whether the program was done individually or in groups. She believed that intervention programs could be organized into levels to form a progression from those who had deteriorated in daily habits to those ready for discharge back to the community. She believed that the education of the practitioners should include lectures for knowledge, application, and training in occupations to specific problems seen by practitioners, and practice training in the field under the supervision of trained occupational therapists. Her beliefs continue to underpin the practice of occupational therapy today.