First Advisor
Harding, Jennifer
First Committee Member
Kyser, Christine
Second Committee Member
Rose, Brian
Third Committee Member
Persch, Andrew
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Document Type
Dissertation
Date Created
8-2025
Department
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Teacher Education, Teacher Education Student Work
Embargo Date
8-2026
Abstract
Decreasing burnout and increasing retention of occupational therapists (OTs) is a pressing issue in the field as attrition rates and intention to leave the profession are on the rise. One of the core tenets of occupational therapy (OT) practice is supporting recipients with engaging in meaningful occupations to promote wellbeing. While burnout in the profession has been more widely researched, very little research has explored how OTs perceive meaning in their own practice. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the lived experiences of how OTs perceive meaning and meaning gaps in the profession, as well as to better understand the relationship between perceived meaning and burnout in the OT profession. With data from 100 survey participants and six individual interview participants, this study found that OTs experience moderate levels of perceived meaning in their OT practice, as well as high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while simultaneously experiencing high levels of personal accomplishment. Several core themes contribute novel data to how OTs perceive meaning, meaning gaps, and burnout in their OT practice: job fit, “master your craft,” “reality doesn’t match the training,” and making a difference. This study fills an important gap in the existing literature by examining perceived meaning as a factor that may contribute to, or protect from, burnout and subsequent attrition in the field.
Abstract Format
html
Keywords
occupational therapist; perceived meaning; meaning gap; burnout
Places
Greeley, Colorado
Extent
174 pages
Local Identifiers
Reinhardt_unco_0161D_11366.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Digital Origin
Born digital
Recommended Citation
Reinhardt, Rebecca Lauren, "Meaning in Occupational Therapy Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Perceived Meaning and Burnout In Occupational Therapists" (2025). Dissertations. 1183.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/1183