Perception of gender construction among occupational therapy students: an approach to gender in daily life

Abstract

Objective: The gender-related issues have been a subject rarely addressed in occupational therapy and even less from the occupational therapists perspective. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze the perception of gender construction in the daily life of a group of senior occupational therapy students. Method: This was a qualitative analysis, carried out through a discussion group using writings and audiovisual materials present in the student’s daily lives. Results: We identified different elements of speech, such as figures of representation, socializing objects, social mandates and automated stereotypes. Conclusion: We discuss the importance of including reflections on gender construction in the training process of occupational therapy students in order to avoid the perpetuation of traditional and patriarchal forms of relationship, which is reflected in the different areas of people’s daily life -from their private to professional lives.

Keywords

• Gender
• Activities of Daily Living
• Occupational Therapy
• Sexism