What is it about?

This chapter looks citizenship and occupational justice as ways of understanding how people with mental health challenges are included and excluded in their communities and society. It encourages occupational therapists to engage with people with lived experience to develop services that focus on participatory citizenship in an increasingly technological society. The chapter highlights how occupational therapists could play a key role in public health to support people develop their sense of belonging and agency. In doing this it is essential that occupational therapists engage in promoting digital citizenship, people’s interaction with AI, and participation in the virtual world.

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Why is it important?

Technology is increasingly shaping peoples lives, if occupational therapists don't work with people with lived experience and don't integrate technology into their clinical reasoning they will be less equipped to deliver 21st century health care. There are reflective exercised throughout the chapter so no matter what level you are working at you can develop your own applied learning.

Perspectives

Writing this chapter with my co-authors was really helpful in us bringing slightly different perspectives, I brought the citizenship and technology perspective, Tongai brought the focus on Occupational Justice, and Bex brought her lived experience. Through this we were able to learn from each other. We have included reflective exercises to try and share that process of learning. I think the generosity of Bex sharing her experiences really brings the chapter to life and we are really grateful to her for her contributions to this chapter.

Phil Morgan
Bournemouth University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: The Future of Occupational Therapy: Recovery, Participatory Citizenship and the Impact of Technology, September 2025, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/9789815313710125010023.
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