A Survey of Professional Responsibilities and Job Satisfaction Among Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Practitioners

This study examined the professional responsibilities and job satisfaction of 258 members of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA). It extended an earlier survey done with recreational practitioners affiliated with the Federation quebecoise du loisir en institution (FQLI). The factor analysis of duties and satisfaction shows results that match with the original study. For duties, four factors center on administration, therapy, professional development and face-to-face leadership (FTFL); for the satisfaction scale, the analysis confirms the intrinsic and extrinsic components of the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. A canonical analysis shows similar results, but with some variations, between the two studies. In the case of the first canonical factor, members in a hospital setting are more involved in recreational therapy and in FTFL, hold a therapist title and have a lower salary. In the second canonical factor, members in a hospital setting, without a therapist title, do more administrative tasks but fewer of their duties relate to FTFL and professional development; and they also have a lower salary. In conclusion, we contrast our findings with those of the original study and discuss reasons for similarities or differences in the research results. Among implications is the recognition of a wide variation in what Canadian therapeutic recreation (TR) practitioners do, where they work, and how they identify.  Subscribe to TRJ