Occupational Therapy: Activity Analysis, Ethics, and Professional Foundations

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering activity and occupational demands, procedural task analysis, intervention approaches, ethical reasoning, the AOTA Code of Ethics, and professional regulatory organizations.

Tools

Objects used to help complete an activity that are reusable and not expendable, such as scissors, staplers, pants, skis, or keys.

Supplies

Objects or items that become depleted or consumed during the course of an activity, such as paint, paper, thread, or toothpaste.

Equipment

Instruments, appliances, or larger sets of objects (often machines) that serve to equip an individual to perform a task, such as a refrigerator, drill, computer, or car.

Properties (Object Demands)

Distinctive traits or essential qualities of a physical object described using specific modifiers, such as olive oil, red paint, unleaded gas, or unscented cleaner.

Space Demands

The physical environmental requirements typically needed in order to perform an activity, including size, arrangement of objects, surface, lighting, temperature, humidity, noise, and ventilation.

Social Demands (Social Rules)

The typical norms and expectations governing how an individual should act and communicate during an activity or within specific social, virtual, and cultural contexts.

Activity Analysis

A task-focused evaluation of how an activity is typically performed, examining its general demands, environment, and context without a specific client in mind.

Occupation-Based Activity Analysis

An analysis of an activity or occupation that considers a specific client and their unique features, individualized abilities, and specific contexts.

Procedural Task Analysis

The process used to determine the essential steps, chronological sequencing, and timing demands of an activity to better understand and teach it to clients or caregivers.

Co-Occupations

Occupations that inherently require active engagement and interaction with more than one person, such as caring for a child or a pet.

Occupational Profile

An initial evaluation process identifying the client's meaningful activities, definitions of successful completion, required objects and space demands, performance skills, and environmental barriers.

Create/Promote (Health Promotion)

An intervention approach that does not assume or focus on a disability, but provides enriched contextual and activity experiences in natural environments to enhance skills for all persons.

Establish/Restore (Remediation)

An intervention approach designed to establish new skills or remediate/restore impaired client body functions or performance skills using activities and preparatory tasks.

Maintain (Intervention Approach)

An intervention approach designed to provide supports that preserve current performance levels and prevent a decline in capabilities or skills.

Modify (Compensation/Adaptation)

An intervention approach focused on revising activity demands, tools, materials, or environmental features to enable a client to successfully complete a task.

Role Competence

An occupational therapy outcome representing the client's ability to effectively satisfy the demands and expectations associated with their specific social or life roles.

Ethical Dilemma

A situation occurring when a practitioner's response or action can cause negative consequences or nullify good consequences, forcing a choice between options that each carry potential risks.

CELIBATE

A 10-step clinical ethics problem-solving mnemonic standing for Clinical Ethics and Legal Issues Bait All Therapists Equally, designed to analyze facts, interested parties, and legal/ethical conflicts.

The Belmont Report

The foundational 1979 United States guiding document for human subjects research that establishes three basic ethical principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Morals

Beliefs regarding right and wrong conduct that develop from values, religion, personal beliefs, and society, which may not always coincide with client views or state/federal laws.

Laws

Binding rules of conduct or community practices prescribed, formally recognized, and enforced by a controlling authority or legislature to protect clients and practitioners from unsafe practice.

Beneficence

The ethical principle mandating that occupational therapy personnel demonstrate concern for the well-being and safety of persons by promoting good, preventing harm, and removing conditions of harm.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle requiring occupational therapy personnel to refrain from causing harm, injury, or wrongdoing, and to avoid imposing risks of harm under the standard of due care.

Due Care

An ethical and legal standard requiring that the anticipated benefits of an occupational therapy intervention outweigh and justify the undertaken risks and discomfort.

Autonomy

The ethical principle requiring personnel to respect a person's right to self-determination, privacy, confidentiality, and voluntary informed consent, acknowledging their agency to make their own care decisions.

Justice (Ethical Principle)

The ethical principle dictating that personnel promote equity, inclusion, and objectivity in service delivery by treating persons fairly, upholding laws, and eliminating barriers to participation.

Veracity

The ethical principle requiring comprehensive, accurate, and objective communication of information, based on truthfulness, candor, and honesty when representing the profession.

Fidelity

The ethical principle concerning the duty to keep commitments once made, maintain respectful collegial relationships, and treat clients and colleagues with integrity, fairness, and discretion.

Equity (AOTA Core Value)

A core value emphasizing fair and just treatment for all individuals by identifying and eliminating systemic disparities, addressing participation barriers, and actively challenging bias.

Prudence (AOTA Core Value)

A core value denoting the ability to govern and discipline oneself through the use of reason, judiciousness, discretion, vigilance, moderation, and intelligent reflection in decision-making.

Advocacy (AOTA Core Value)

A core value involving the active promotion of occupational rights by ensuring access to essential resources, services, and opportunities for meaningful participation for underserved populations.

AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association)

The national professional membership organization in the U.S. that represents OT and OTA practitioners and students, sets professional standards, and develops the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics.

ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education)

The specialized accrediting body that sets standards, reviews program designs, conducts on-site visits, and grants accreditation for 5, 7, or 10 years to OT and OTA educational programs.

AOTF (American Occupational Therapy Foundation)

The philanthropic and research foundation supporting the OT profession by funding scientific research grants, providing student scholarships and fellowships, and advancing evidence-based practice.

WFOT (World Federation of Occupational Therapists)

The international professional organization that represents occupational therapy globally, promotes international educational standards, and advocates for OT's role in global health and participation.

NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy)

The national credentialing organization that validates knowledge essential for effective practice by administering evidence-based initial certification exams for OTR and COTA credentials.

State Regulatory Boards (SRBs)

State-level governmental agencies (such as NYSED in New York or WDSPS in Wisconsin) responsible for issuing occupational therapy licenses, establishing practice acts, and regulating legal practice.