幼児の意味のある作業とは—発達障害領域の作業療法士へのインタビューから

Meaningful occupations of special needs children: Effects of occupational therapy on the developmentally disabled

要旨：発達障害領域の作業療法士20名への，幼児の意味のある作業についてのインタビュー結果を質的に分析した．さらに先行研究との比較検討から，作業療法士が考える意味のある作業を検討した．結果，幼児の意味のある作業は，取り組む全ての作業であった．発達障害領域の作業療法士は，その作業を楽しい生活の獲得に向け工夫や段階づけをして支援していた．そして，親子とともにその作業に取り組み，生じる感情と経過を言葉で意味づけすることにより，幼児が社会の中で自信を持って生きていけるよう支援していた．作業療法士の考える意味のある作業は幼児と成人に共通しており，自ら意思表示し，生活史に関係し，自分自身を（再）構築する作業であった．

　The purpose of this study was to confirm the meaningful occupations of special needs children for consideration by occupational therapists. We interviewed 20 occupational therapists and the qualitatively analyzed results revealed that the meaningful occupations of the special needs children were those practiced in occupational therapy. Occupational therapists worked on those occupations with the children and their parents. Occupational therapists and parents gave meanings to the children's feelings and processes through language, facilitating the production of their life stories and building their confidence to live in society. Thus, the meaningful occupations were common to both children and adults, and they were expressed by the client, and were related to the client's life stories. The client finds new meaning in life by engaging in meaningful occupations.