A Qualitative Study on Occupational Therapists’ Experiences with Gun Owners and Victims of Gun-Related Violence

Abstract

With the widespread access to firearms and an increasing prevalence of gun violence, examining the experiences of occupational therapists in dealing with gun owners and gun violence victims is warranted. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with occupational therapy practitioners with experience working with this population in the United States. Using thematic analysis, three main themes emerged: psychological and emotional dimensions, occupational safety and management, and daily functioning. The findings of this study provide insights into the strategies used by therapists in this context.

Keywords:

• Gun ownership
• qualitative research
• occupational therapy
• gun violence

Acknowledgments

There is no conflict of interest and no funding to disclose for this qualitative study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.