One of the founding assumptions underlying the health professions is the belief that there is a strong relationship between engagement in occupations, health, and wellbeing. The ability to perform everyday occupations (occupational performance) has a positive effect on health and wellbeing. However, there is also conflicting evidence indicating that participation in multiple roles or in certain occupations may lead to poorer health. Therefore, there is a need to better understand this relationship. The purpose of the present study was to examine three possible theoretical models to explain mothers’ health and life satisfaction from the perspective of their occupational performance, their role load, and their social support. 150 married mothers, ages of 25–45, who had at least one child between the ages of one to ten years, participated in the study. Data were collected by using seven self-report questionnaires. The models were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results show that social support has a direct effect on mothers’ physical health and life satisfaction and an indirect effect, mediated through the occupational performance variables, on mothers’ mental health and life satisfaction. Role overload does not affect mothers’ health and life satisfaction. These results suggest that mothers could benefit from health programs that help them manage their occupational routines. Such programs should focus on improving the mother’s occupational performance and adapting her social environment to fit her occupational needs.
Background.: People who undergo a gender transition process experience changes in different everyday occupations. These changes may impact their health and life satisfaction. Purpose.: This study examined the difference in the occupational performance history scales (occupational identity, competence, and settings) between male-to-female transgender women and cisgender women and the relation of these scales to health and life satisfaction. Method.: Twenty-two transgender women and 22 matched cisgender women completed a demographic questionnaire and three reliable measures in this cross-sectional study. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regressions. Findings.: The results indicate lower performance scores for the transgender women. In addition, occupational settings and group membership (transgender and cisgender groups) were found to be predictors of life satisfaction. Implications.: The present study supports the role of occupational therapy in promoting occupational identity and competence of transgender women and giving special attention to their social and physical environment.
1 June 2001 in Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
This article presents both the general concept of postmodernism and its reflection in a wide array of fields of interest. In particular, the paper reviews the postmodernist perspective as it appears in healthcare and medicine. This leads to a postmodernist analysis of the profession of occupational therapy, the main conclusion being that occupational therapy combines elements of modernism and postmodernism. This gives occupational therapy clinicians the luxury of enjoying the best of both worlds.
A man’s transition to fatherhood is one of the most significant changes in his life. The birth of the baby prematurely makes this transition a difficult experience. Study objectives included a better understanding of the range of experiences of fathers of premature infants and building new work procedures according to our findings. We used a qualitative content analysis design. We interviewed 26 fathers just prior to their infant’s discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. Our findings reveal a growing trend of the father taking on a more significant role in the care of the infant and equal division of tasks with the mother. Although this is the trend, there are fathers who prefer to keep to the traditional paternal role of standing aside or behind the mother. Pursuant to these findings, specific work procedures for fathers were formulated, and information booklets for fathers and mothers were planned.