Affiliations: Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning,
Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden | Nordic School of Public Health, Göteborg,
Sweden | School of Health Sciences, Department of
Rehabilitation, Jönköping, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Anita Björklund, School of
Health Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation, Box 1026, SE-551 11
Jönköping, Sweden. Tel.: +46 36 101265, Mob:+ 46 708 261250; Fax: +46
33 269706; E-mail: Anita.Bjorklund@hhj.hj.se
Abstract: Objective/Method: During the last decades sickness absence from work
has become a great societal problem. Questions of how rehabilitation processes
should become successful and how peoples' ability to work can be improved have
become of great public interest. In this paper we discuss three well-known
theoretical perspectives regarding their usefulness when it comes to research
on rehabilitation for return to work. Results: The three perspectives
are: Antonovsky's salutogenic model of health, Kielhofner's model of human
occupation and Scheff's sociological theory of "shame and pride". Conclusions: Each of these can be applied to increase understanding and
knowledge concerning sickness absence and return to work. We discuss points of
affinity among the three perspectives, as well as significant differences, and
we propose that a very essential common denominator is the importance of
self-experience.
Keywords: KASAM, Model of Human Occupation, self-experience, social emotions
