Date of Award
6-1994
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Dr. Susan Meyers
Second Advisor
Sandra Edwards
Third Advisor
Doris Smith
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
This study explored what internal beliefs a therapist holds about the nature of reality and how those beliefs influence how he/she delivers occupational therapy. A single-case study design was utilized. Data were collected from three in-depth interviews and observation of multiple treatment sessions.
The results suggest that this therapist's view of the world could be categorized into four areas: (1) What she believed about ultimate reality; (2) What she believed about life, death and eternity; (3) What she believed about human nature; and (4) What she believed about the nature of knowing. The study also suggests that this core world-view informed how the therapist framed her clinical practice, and how she provided occupational therapy. Further, the therapist's view of the world and her clinical practice are both deeply rooted in her socio-cultural experiences. This case narrative provides a rich description of the inter-relatedness of socio-cultural context, world-view and clinical reasoning.
Recommended Citation
Hooper, Barbara R., "Investigating the Influence of Pre-Theoretical Assumptions on Clinical Reasoning" (1994). Masters Theses. 4642.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4642