Issues

In this editorial, AJOT Editor-in-Chief Stacey Reynolds shares how the special issue on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, Accessibility, and Belonging in Occupational Therapy Practice and Education was developed.

In this special issue, scholars call on members of the occupational therapy profession to be critically reflective and to challenge dominant paradigms to shape the future of practice through education, training, leadership, and community partnership.

This is a scale development study of the Occupational Justice Scale for Refugees, which was developed by the authors and is the first scale designed specifically to measure the levels of occupational justice experienced by refugees.

This study explored how first-generation occupational therapy students think about their academic performance, engagement, and social integration.

The study findings show that occupational therapy educators are motivated by a desire to influence change in the profession and are affected by the lack of diverse representation in the field.

This study assesses the Professional Belonging Scale for Occupational Therapy Students, a self-assessment that was created by the authors to measure students’ sense of belonging in occupational therapy education programs.

This review examined the current state of gender-affirming care in occupational therapy and identifies areas for improvement.

This study looked at how minority occupational therapists and students around the world experience inclusion and belonging in the profession.

This scoping review describes literature on the practice of cultural humility in occupational therapy services.

This study explored factors that affect disabled occupational therapy students and describes what helps and hinders them throughout their education.

The authors found that occupational therapy interventions for people with dementia are acceptable to diverse groups when the therapist works in partnership and provides an intervention that is meaningful and purposeful for the client.

This study examined differences in sociodemographics, health, participation, and quality of life among older adults from ethnic majority versus minority groups.

This pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness of using a targeted educational module to significantly improve occupational therapy students’ cultural awareness and skills when working with Hispanic families.

This project identified challenges and supports for Black American families of autistic children regarding access to and engagement in occupational therapy services.

This review describes the process and experiences of engaging Hispanic and Latino stakeholders in occupational therapy research.

Focusing on racial and ethnic diversity, this study captures the perspectives of first-year occupational therapy students who participated in a student-led outreach initiative.

Focusing on Latino families affected by cancer, this study showed that familismo, which prioritizes family needs over individual needs, is a cultural value that plays out in many ways.

This study investigated how social structures in the United States have influenced the leadership development of women of color in occupational therapy.

This article highlights the unique challenges Black occupational therapy practitioners face in their leadership paths.

This study examines concerns related to belonging and inclusion among racialized students with mental illness.

This study reviewed literature from occupational therapy and other health professions literature to determine how the concept of intersectionality is used to inform practice, education, and research.

This study emphasizes the essential role of occupational therapy in developing equitable, client-centered interventions that address environmental barriers for older adults in low-income households.

In this column, the authors use Jacques Derrida’s concept of “hos[ti]pitality” to problematize DEIJA initiatives by asking whether occupational therapy can be genuinely inclusive or if minoritized persons will always be “guests” who are expected to reciprocate their presence.

The authors bring to light how oppressive occupational therapy structures and processes continue to sustain Othering within the profession, including the paradox of occupational justice.

This column explores the integration of the Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP) framework into maternal health occupational therapy to address racial disparities and enhance health care outcomes.

In this column, the authors analyze colonial legacies and power dynamics within communities and highlight the limitations of current Western-based adaptations in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility.

The authors examine the challenges underdocumented individuals face in pursuing occupational therapy education and careers.