Clinical Reasoning

procedural reasoning

concerned with getting things done, with what “has to happen next.” This reasoning process is closely related to the medical form of problem solving.

interactive reasoning

concerned with the interchanges between the patient and therapist. The therapist uses this form of reasoning to engage with, to understand, and to motivate the patient. Understanding the disability from the patient’s point of view is fundamental to this type of reasoning

conditional reasoning

concerned with the contexts in which interventions occur, the contexts in which the patient performs occupations, and the ways in which various factors might affect the outcomes and direction of therapy.

narrative reasoning

relies on story telling in order to identify problem areas and solutions. It requires interaction between the patient and therapist in order to gain an understanding of the situation

pragmatic reasoning

recognizes the constraints faced by the OT practitioner by forces beyond the patient-therapist relationship.