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School of Occupational Therapy
Faculty of Health Sciences
La Trobe University
Victoria 3086
Australia
Ph: +61 3 9479 5815
Fax: +61 3 9479 5737
email
OT Reception
Level 2
Health Sciences 2
Bundoora Campus

Content Approved by:
Head of School
Index maintained by: Support Services Officer

Occupational Therapy
Research

Faculty and School Mission Statements

Faculty Mission Statement

The mission of La Trobe Health Sciences is to provide high quality, relevant education for the health and social work professions; to conduct research to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities and the equity, efficiency and quality of health and human services; and to facilitate the attainment of these goals through professional activities and community service.

School of Occupational Therapy Research Mission Statement

The research mission of the School of Occupational Therapy is to provide high quality research education for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and conduct internationally recognised research focussing on the areas of mental health and ageing, which enhances peoples' occupational capacity and performance and enables occupation through involvement in activities and participation in society.

Research strengths and priorities

Background

In the Research Assessment Exercise submitted by the School, the School identified a number of research foci. These were:

• investigation of the occupational performance capacities of our clients (using predominantly rehabilitative approaches to overcome impairments),
• research related to enabling our clients to undertake their chosen occupations (using predominantly compensatory approaches to overcome activity limitations and impairment restrictions), and
• development of the theory of occupation (humans as occupational beings).

Consistent with Faculty identified research strengths, the School also targeted the following population groups: 1) older persons, 2) persons with neurological conditions, and 3) clients with mental health problems. The School has refined its research priorities as outlined below.

Strengths and Priorities

• self-care, productivity and leisure participation across the lifespan
• measurement of functional abilities, daily life task performance and therapy outcome
• occupational therapy interventions for children & an aging population
• neurological rehabilitation
• occupational health
• psychosocial intervention in mental health
• decision making in rehabilitation and occupational therapy services
• professional practice issues in OT.

Neurological Research Team

Content Approved by: Head of School
Page maintained by: Support Services Officer
Last Updated: 23-Jan-2007