Occupational therapists use frames of reference throughout their practice to ensure their treatment plans are evidence-based and working towards an overarching goal. This blog post is going to talk about some of the frames of reference, what they are, and how they are used!
Compensatory Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame aims to increase occupational performance and facilitate independence by utilizing compensatory strategies. It is primarily used to compensate for dysfunction in desired occupations.
How is it used?
Utilizing weighted utensils during meal preparation or increasing the size of a utensil handle to eliminate pain and increase function.
Rehabilitative Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame coincides with rehabilitation as the process of facilitating patients in daily activities or social roles with competence. This focuses on clients who are unlikely to remediate or lack motivation to participate in remediation. The idea is to focus on the remaining abilities, despite any disability, to attain the highest level of functioning.
How is it used?
This could be seen by learning to use a wheelchair within the environment functionally.
Biomechanical Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame considers refocusing on impairments that limit performance. This frame assumes that the client is able to acquire the voluntary motor skills to perform the occupation. It means that the underlying impairment is amendable and that remediation is what the therapist will work toward.
How is it used?
This could be seen by utilizing strengthening techniques post-hip replacement to regain the ability to walk and utilize the limb as once before.
Psychoanalytic Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame is the recognition of constant emotions that exist between the patient the therapist and the action. It focuses on the unconscious aspect of what is done and said in the relationship between the three factors of therapist, patient, and action.
How is it used?
Choice and play is an example of this where the child is in control of ideas and play while the therapist incorporates effective measures to work towards their overall goal.
Developmental Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame suggests that development is sequential and behavior are primarily influenced by how well the person has mastered the previously stated sequences. It views people as developing and dynamic and meet that person where they are in order to increase their overall functional performance.
How is it used?
A therapist would choose a developmentally appropriate game to play with a child to increase the skills required for completion of the game.
Behavioral Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame focuses on behavioral modification to shape behaviors to decrease the probability of maladaptive learned behaviors.
Cognitive-Behavioral Frame of Reference:
What is it?
This frame emphasizes five aspects of life, these being thoughts, behaviors, emotions, physiological responses and environment. These aspects are all interrelated meaning that a change in one can change another. This frame focus on the thought and impacting the automatic thought in order to improve an aspect of life.
How is it used?
With someone struggling with anxiety, creating a list of triggers, and alternate thoughts instead of their initial response, is a way to train the brain to refocus on different responses.
