Deck 8: The Role of Theory in Occupational Therapy

Question 1

Technical rationality is the basis of the scholarship of practice, where practical activity is derived seamlessly from basic knowledge.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

When conducting research investigating a concept derived from theory, that concept should be operationalized in the absence of the theory to promote validity of the study design.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Research should be grounded in theory, which in turn may generate outcomes that require the theory to be modified to adapt how it describes a phenomenon.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In occupational therapy, an activity that is not informed by a theory or theoretical concept is not likely to be therapeutic.

Question 5

Although important for grounding occupational therapy applied science studies, theory has minimal direct applications for educational, technical, scientific, or interdisciplinary purposes.

Question 6

Occupational therapy literature describes the theory-practice gap that exists within the profession. Which of the following statements is correct in its description of the theory-practice gap?

A) A status where neither theory nor practice are informed by research
B) An intentional separation of theoretical science and practice experience, which limits the risk of research bias
C) A discrepancy that exists between researchers' theories that ground the ideas of the profession and clinicians' practice that is actually implemented
D) A process wherein practice is directly informed by theoretical research

Question 7

Scholarship of practice is a theoretical perspective for knowledge generation in occupational therapy. Which of the following statements is not an accurate description of the scholarship of practice?

A) It requires that theoretical knowledge be derived from the practical problems encountered in therapy.
B) It involves a dynamic and flexible dialectic between empirical and theoretical knowledge.
C) It creates synergies between the needs of scholars, researchers, and practitioners.
D) It is exclusive to participatory research, where researchers and practitioners both develop theory through service delivery.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is false regarding theory?

A) A theory is a network of explanations.
B) Theories are able to adapt or change in response to research.
C) A theory identifies postulates that describe phenomena, and conceptualizations that specify relationships between postulates.
D) In occupational therapy, a theory explains how an occupation is performed, an occupational problem, or a particular dynamic between client and clinician.

Question 9

There are many benefits from grounding a study in a specific theoretical model. Which of the following would not be an outcome of a researcher using a theory for a research study?

A) The concepts, interventions, and/or inter-relationships characterized by the theory would be directly linked to various aspects of the study.
B) The risk of bias would be reduced through the application of the theory.
C) An assessment rooted in the theory would allow for interpretation of the findings in an integrative and cohesive manner.
D) The research question or hypothesis may be explicitly stated through concepts and postulates of the theory.

Question 10

Researchers must exercise good judgment when choosing a theory to ground a research study. Which of the following would not be a consideration when choosing a theory?

A) Methodology
B) Practice preferences
C) Ideology about how clients should be served
D) Knowledge base

Question 11

Through the process of developing a theory-grounded research study, an investigator is deciding which assessment would be the best to collect data. Which of the following choices would be the best option?

A) An interdisciplinary assessment nonspecific to any theory
B) An established assessment within the theoretical model of the research study
C) The most widely used/recognized assessment nonspecific to any theory
D) An assessment developed exclusively for the study

Question 12

Which of the following would be an instance when a researcher would not ground research in a theoretical model?

A) When developing a new theoretical model for a new population of interest
B) When establishing validity psychometrics for an assessment tied to a theoretical model
C) When examining concepts individually that are part of a larger theoretical model
D) When conducting interdisciplinary research