ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the perception and implementation status of Occupation-Based Practice (OBP) for occupational therapists working in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas. Method: Occupational therapists in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas responded to a questionnaire in which a total of 194 questionnaires were analyzed. Result: The definition of OBP from the occupational therapists point of view included the client’s self-awareness of occupation and participation during intervention, the occupation and activities chosen by the clients themselves, and the use of occupation as an evaluation and intervention method. The perception of OBP showed a mean value of 5.21, whereas occupational understanding and knowledge resulted in a mean score of 4.98. The frequency of application of OBP showed a mean value of 2.68 out of 10 each day. Assessment tools often used to implement OBP include interviews, clinical observations, and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Conclusion: Occupational therapists in the Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam areas showed a moderate level of awareness of OBP, and a low level of implementation.