Independence and Empowerment: Evidence from the Student Perspective

The terms ‘independence’ and ‘empowerment’ are used to underpin much of what occupational therapists do. This paper presents a study that explored how occupational therapy students' knowledge and understanding of these concepts change and develop throughout the initial stages of their professional socialisation (their undergraduate years).Using a qualitative methodology and a case study approach, the longitudinal study followed one cohort of occupational therapy students through the 3 years of their undergraduate course. Data were collected during a series of three in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 participants from the student cohort.The findings highlight not only how ideas linked to independence and empowerment change and develop, but also the factors perceived by the participants as central to this process of change. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to students' ability to engage in reflection and to articulate their reasoning and the values that underpin their p...