Affiliations: [a] Division of Occupational Therapy, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| [b]
Department of Educational Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| [c]
Department of Occupational Therapy, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Lee-Ann Juliana Jacobs-Nzuzi Khuabi, PhD, Division of Occupational Therapy, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. E-mail: leeann@sun.ac.za.
Note: [1] ORCID: 0000-0003-0684-5373
Note: [2] ORCID: 0000-0003-3610-4461
Note: [3] ORCID: 0000-0001-5382-1855
Abstract: Background:This article describes the model components of a study that applied a two-phased approach towards the development of an occupational resilience model. OBJECTIVE:The occupational therapy practice model that is proposed seeks to facilitate high school re-entry and school participation post traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study’s first phase generated results on participants’ experiences of high school re-entry and school participation post TBI. These findings contributed to the second phase of developing a practice model to improve upon school transition practice for learners post TBI. METHODS:The study’s first phase comprised a qualitative multi-case study of eight cases. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, participant and contextual observation, and document analysis. Data analysis was performed via an inductive process combined with cross-case synthesis. Phase 2 employed theory generation, suggesting an occupational therapy practice model for facilitating high school participation post TBI. RESULTS:Participant responses revealed, following the onset of the TBI, a need for adolescents to display resilience in order to re-participate in school. This was displayed by adolescents adapting through drawing upon personal and environmental resources as well as preparing for and engaging in occupation. CONCLUSION:A deeper understanding of the experiences of key role players involved in the school transition post TBI, combined with theory generation, formed the basis of developing the proposed model of occupational resilience. Occupational resilience, through a series of resilience-promoting tasks, is offered as a mechanism to increase learners’ capacity to adapt to occupational challenges and meaningfully participate in school post TBI.
Keywords: Theory generation, occupational adaptation, adversity
