Feeling like a stranger: negotiations with culture as experienced by Chilean occupational therapists
Sammanfattning
Background: Although occupational therapy has begun to focus on the subject of culture, few
studies have examined how occupational therapists outside the English-speaking countries reflect
on it.
Aim: To explore how Chilean occupational therapists reflect on their personal and professional experiences
in regard to the complexity of culture, and its different understandings and expressions.
Methods: This qualitative study uses content analysis to establish common trends in participants’
experiences. A validation phase and data triangulation were implemented to ensure
trustworthiness.
Results: Culture is experienced as a continuous negotiation in personal and professional terms.
One central theme, ‘negotiating through the dynamism of culture’, and three categories, ‘dealing
with power’, ‘understanding local and global identities’, and ‘crossing the boundaries into the client’s
land’, emerged. These experiences are complex, chaotic, and highly context-dependent.
Discussion: During therapeutic encounters, practitioners and clients may experience cultural barriers
even if their differences are not obvious in cultural terms. As a result of this finding, we recommend
the inclusion of culture and cultural issues in professional training. The impact of a
multicultural research team is discussed. Future research should explore how the construct of culture
is introduced in occupational therapy professional training in Chile.