“We seek social transformation”: narratives of experiences of social occupational therapy professionals

Abstract

Introduction: Social injustices and inequalities have become more prevalent worldwide, in recognition of this, occupational therapy and occupational science adopted and developed a social, transformative and critical practices. This has become more prevalent in Brazil, where social occupational therapy professionals, grounded in critical and ethical-political standpoints, have been working with groups and populations to enable justice and rights. Objective: This study aims to understand the social occupational therapy professionals’ reasoning regarding their practices, and since Social Occupational Therapy (SOT) is a practice from the Global South, we draw some possible links between occupational science and social occupational therapy, which can contribute to the social relevance and impact of the occupational therapy profession in both Western and developing countries. Method: This study utilized Polkinghorne's interpretive, narrative approach to interviewing 5 social occupational therapists from different regions and work environments in Brazil. Results: The participants narrative interviews revealed how social occupational therapists focus on the social dimension of their professional reasoning. They have come to embrace a critical perspective, acknowledging the socio-political context of the communities and groups of people they work with, often in situations of vulnerability. This can be understood by the growing discussion of the role of occupational science as critical and socially responsive practice. Conclusion: These findings can facilitate an intercultural dialogue with other frameworks that also advocate for social transformative work and collective action.