The Application of Stages of Change Theory to the Practice of Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Increasingly, the occupational therapy (O.T) literature has stressed the need for therapists to incorporate health promotion and wellness into all areas of practice. Little is written, however, about the tools available to practitioners in order to expand their knowledge and skills in these areas. The field of health education provides specific models applicable to all areas of prevention, health promotion, and wellness. This paper provides a detailed description of one such model, stages of change theory, and discusses its relevance to the practice of occupational therapy. Several publicized O.T. health promotion programs are utilized as examples to compare and contrast use of this theory to those currently available.