Community development practice in occupational therapy: A scoping review

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q2 REHABILITATION

Australian Occupational Therapy Journal Pub Date : 2026-03-15 DOI:10.1111/1440-1630.70081

Tetsuya Anzai, Atsushi Kawabata, Norikazu Kobayashi, Peter Bontje

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Community development is a vital area of practice in occupational therapy, aligned with a recent shift in focus from individual-level interventions to community and societal issues. Despite its growing significance, knowledge and understanding of community development in occupational therapy remain fragmented. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive map of how community development is researched, discussed, and conceptualised within the field of occupational therapy.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted using 10 databases to identify relevant literature published up to September 2025. The search strategy combined the terms ‘occupational therapy’ with either ‘community development’ or ‘community-centred practice’. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to examine the characteristics of the literature and to identify trends in the understanding of community development in the field of occupational therapy.

Consumer and Community Involvement

This study did not include consumer or community involvement.

Results

A total of 38 articles published between 1996 and 2025 were included, with most originating in Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Of these, 18 were empirical studies, and most employed qualitative methodologies. Findings related to community development in occupational therapy were divided into two main themes: ‘What is known about community development?’ and ‘How community development is described in relation to occupational therapy.’

Conclusion

The results revealed limited contextual and methodological diversity in community development research on occupational therapy. We also identified key barriers and enablers in community development practice, offering insights to support practitioners and researchers in advancing this emerging area of occupational therapy. Future studies are required to explore community development practices in diverse geographical and cultural contexts, develop theoretical frameworks to guide occupational therapists, and apply the concept of collective occupation. Strengthening educational systems and institutional support is necessary for practitioners and students to promote and improve their engagement with community development in occupational therapy.

Abstract Image

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职业治疗中的社区发展实践：范围综述。

导言：社区发展是职业治疗实践的一个重要领域，与最近从个人层面干预到社区和社会问题的重点转移相一致。尽管其日益重要，知识和理解的社区发展的职业治疗仍然支离破碎。本研究旨在提供一个全面的地图，说明如何在职业治疗领域研究、讨论和概念化社区发展。方法：选取10个数据库，选取截至2025年9月发表的相关文献进行范围综述。搜索策略将术语“职业治疗”与“社区发展”或“以社区为中心的实践”结合起来。描述性统计和内容分析用于检查文献的特征，并确定职业治疗领域对社区发展的理解趋势。消费者和社区参与：本研究不包括消费者或社区参与。结果：共纳入1996 - 2025年间发表的38篇文献，主要来自加拿大、澳大利亚和南非。其中18项是实证研究，大多数采用定性方法。与职业治疗中的社区发展相关的研究结果分为两个主题：“我们对社区发展了解多少？”以及“如何描述社区发展与职业治疗的关系。”结论：研究结果显示，在职业治疗的社区发展研究中，背景和方法的多样性有限。我们还确定了社区发展实践中的关键障碍和推动因素，为支持从业者和研究人员推进这一新兴的职业治疗领域提供了见解。未来的研究需要探索不同地理和文化背景下的社区发展实践，发展理论框架来指导职业治疗师，并应用集体职业的概念。加强教育系统和机构支持对于从业者和学生促进和改善他们参与职业治疗的社区发展是必要的。

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来源期刊

Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 医学-康复医学

CiteScore

2.80

自引率

16.70%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Australian Occupational Therapy Journal is a leading international peer reviewed publication presenting influential, high quality innovative scholarship and research relevant to occupational therapy. The aim of the journal is to be a leader in the dissemination of scholarship and evidence to substantiate, influence and shape policy and occupational therapy practice locally and globally. The journal publishes empirical studies, theoretical papers, and reviews. Preference will be given to manuscripts that have a sound theoretical basis, methodological rigour with sufficient scope and scale to make important new contributions to the occupational therapy body of knowledge. AOTJ does not publish protocols for any study design The journal will consider multidisciplinary or interprofessional studies that include occupational therapy, occupational therapists or occupational therapy students, so long as ‘key points’ highlight the specific implications for occupational therapy, occupational therapists and/or occupational therapy students and/or consumers.