Values related to the occupational therapy profession: Identifying them to better define them

Abstract

Inaccuracies and conceptual confusion characterize the literature on the values associated with occupational therapy. The purpose of this study was to identify values related to occupational therapy, propose definitions for those values, and validate the content of the definitions. A review of the literature ( n = 52) and consultation of occupational therapists ( n = 26) were used to document and define a series of values. The resulting list of values was tested for functionality by occupational therapists ( n = 5) and presented to occupational therapists with ethics expertise ( n = 6) to assess content validity of the value definitions. The proposed list presents 33 values with their definitions that the experts considered to be clear and representative of the realities they describe. The results show that the list is considered exhaustive. This study identified values that are ideals that can guide occupational therapy practice and support the claims and cultural and ethical competencies of occupational therapists.