METHODS OF ASSESSING CLIENTS PRIORITIES - A SURVEY OF ADULT PHYSICAL DYSFUNCTION SETTINGS

Objectives. Recent clinical reasoning literature has identified a coll aborative model of treatment-one that responds to clients' perceptions of their illness and disability experiences-as central to occupationa l therapy practice. Assessing clients' priorities on admission is esse ntial to that model. Method. Surveys from of a convenience sample of 2 69 occupational therapy directors in adult physical rehabilitation fac ilities throughout the United States (70.2% response rate) were analyz ed to see whether occupational therapists in those settings are assess ing clients' priorities on admission, and if so, how. Results. The maj ority of occupational therapists are using informal interview to deter mine clients' priorities on admission. Client goals obtained from thes e interviews are vague and do not specify meaningful occupations; this finding suggests that therapists are setting treatment goals without specific input from clients about their valued activities. Conclusion. Occupational therapists have not yet successfully translated their va lues about client-therapist collaboration into a formal set of procedu res for practice.