Professional identity and emerging occupational therapy practice: An autoethnography.

BACKGROUND.: Research about occupational therapy practice in the community with people who have been imprisoned remains limited and may be considered an emerging area of practice. PURPOSE.: This paper provides a critical, first-person account about emerging occupational therapy practice with men transitioning to the community post-imprisonment. The practice context is described and reflected on from the lens of a new graduate. METHODS.: Autoethnography draws meaning from reciprocal interactions between an individual and a culture. Data was collected by the primary author through reflective journal entries and process notes pertaining to a Photovoice project. Iterative application of established evaluative criteria served as a framework in an analytical writing process. FINDINGS.: Autethnography promoted self-reflection and professional development while Photovoice provided an evidence-based framework in an emerging setting. IMPLICATIONS.: Current occupational therapy theories and models have limited applicability to inform practice with marginalized populations potentially benefitting from participatory research (e.g., Photovoice) and autoethnography.

Development and evaluation of The KIT: Keeping It Together™â€ for†Youth (the 'Youth KIT') to assist youth with disabilities in managing information.

BACKGROUND: This article presents findings from the development and evaluation of The KIT: Keeping It Together™â€…for Youth (the 'Youth KIT'). The Youth KIT is a resource intended to assist youth with disabilities during their teenage years and during the transition to adulthood to give information to others about themselves, get from others about themselves, and organize their own information to the best of their ability. METHODS: Thirty-six youth between the ages of 12 and 25 with physical and developmental disabilities were active participants in the development of the Youth KIT and partnered with a multidisciplinary team to conduct the qualitative evaluation. Focus groups and individual interviews were used in three phases of evaluation. RESULTS: The results of qualitative content analysis found the Youth KIT to be useful for a variety of youth in different contexts. The themes that emerged about the utility and impact of the Youth KIT were: (1) self-discovery for youth; and (2) the importance of the 'fit' between youth and mentors to support youth as they started to use the Youth KIT. CONCLUSION: Clinical implications for healthcare providers working with youth during the transition to adulthood include recognition that discussions about adult goals should be a continuous dialogue throughout adolescence rather than a 'special' conversation occurring at the time of discharge from paediatric services.