Exploring Service Users’ Experiences of Activities Used During Their Occupational Therapy Treatment in South Africa

Background/Objectives: Occupational therapy theories, models, and frameworks appear to be developed in Western countries. The philosophical framework for occupational therapy in South Africa appears to have relied upon various models, predominantly stemming from Western and European origins, with vague and fleeting references to African knowledge systems and philosophies. The objectives of the study were to explore how service users understand occupational therapy following their engagement in occupational therapy services; service users’ perceptions of the activities used during occupational therapy; and service users’ participation in decisions regarding the selection of activities during occupational therapy. Methods: This study used an interpretive qualitative design. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. A total of 21 participants were interviewed before reaching data saturation; 30 min semi structured interviews were conducted. Data were collected by the research assistant. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis at the latent level. Findings: Four themes were derived from the data, which are misconceptions and vagueness, impact yet optimism, limited meaningful activities, and mostly therapist-directed activity choice. Conclusions: The findings highlight systemic barriers such as language of communication in occupational therapy practice and education. They also suggest ambiguity in the understanding of therapeutic goals by service users. In the findings of this study, it is also indicated that there seems to be a lack of meaningful activities selected for therapy. This is shown by the activities, such as the exercises, in which the participants expressed their participation during occupational therapy. The power dynamics, knowledge, and use of technology in occupational therapy practice were also highlighted in the findings.