Occupational Therapy Student Experiences and Transformations During Fieldwork in Mental Health Settings.

SENSORY stimulation; BEHAVIOR modification; EXPERIENCE; FIELDWORK (Educational method); MENTAL health; OCCUPATIONAL prestige; STUDENTS; QUALITATIVE research; OCCUPATIONAL therapy education; NARRATIVES; LEARNING theories in education; INDIVIDUAL development; ATTITUDES toward mental illness; OCCUPATIONAL therapists; ATTITUDE (Psychology)

The purpose of this study is to better understand the transformative experiences of occupational therapy students during fieldwork. In occupational therapy education, fieldwork provides students with an in-depth experience in the field. Thirty-one students submitted narratives following completion of Level II fieldwork in a mental health setting. Concepts from transformative learning theory guided the analysis. The themes that emerged were: (1) understanding clients with mental illness; (2) understanding occupation and occupational therapy; (3) feeling like a professional; and (4) changing as a person. The results highlight the importance of understanding the transformative process and fieldwork in mental health settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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