Occupation and Identity: Perspectives of Children with Disabilities and their Parents

Abstract

Occupational identity is an emerging construct in occupational science. To date, little research has been conducted that explores occupational identity in childhood, particularly with children with disabilities. This study undertakes research on this topic using a socio-cultural perspective. The research considers two main questions: “How is occupation implicated in the shaping of identity for children with disabilities?” and “How might a socio-cultural perspective reveal aspects of occupation and identity that are shaped by the dialectic between individual and social dimensions?” Using case study methodology, six children and their parents participated in assessment, photoelicitation interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Six core categories were identified across cases: a) Perceptions of self and other: Living with disability; b) Family identity, tradition and culture; c) Relational identity: A sense of belonging; d) Pride, success, and seeing things through; e) Growing up and keeping up; and f) Identity in the past, in the moment, and in the future. The findings reveal dimensions of identity and disability, identity as social, and identity as dynamic, which inform current conceptualizations about the relationship between occupation and identity for children with disabilities.

Keywords:

• Identity
• Occupational identity
• Children
• Disability
• Socio-cultural perspectives

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Angela Mandich, Dr. Lilian Magalhães, and Dr. Doreen Bartlett for their guidance and support in making this work possible. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Elizabeth Townsend, Dr. Jan Polgar, and Dr. Rosamund Stooke who provided invaluable feedback on this paper. Many thanks to the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, and the School of Occupational Therapy at the University of Western Ontario, as well as Thames Valley Children Centre for their ongoing support of this work. The authors would also like to extend appreciation to the participants for their generosity and for teaching us about occupation and identity. This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation.