Research Areas

The PPGTO of UFSCar has a Focused research interest on Processes of Intervention in Occupational Therapy, which is intended to account for an epistemological perspective of the field, as well as intrinsic aspects of the practices developed by Occupational Therapy. It deals with research on occupational therapy interventions, from assessment to intervention, which focuses on the processes of social inclusion and exclusion that are submitted to the populations to whom Occupational Therapy delivery in Brazil, from promotion, prevention, and rehabilitation.

The three Research Areas, on the other hand, contextualize the knowledge production about occupational therapy interventions in specific contexts as following: 1) “Promotion of Human Development in Daily Life Contexts” focuses on health promotion and human development. 2) “Social Networks and Vulnerabilities” research line focuses on the social inclusion and participation of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. And 3) “Care, Social Emancipation and Mental Health” emphasizes the occupational therapy in  mental health. All areas consider individual and collective groups.

These areas focus on studies related to:

  •  the typical and atypical development of the human being;
  •  the analysis and adaptation activities of daily live for populations with special needs due to temporary or chronic disabilities;
  •  the care of subjects and groups in psychic suffering;
  •  the development of new technologies of occupational therapy interventions that minimize dependency and facilitate autonomy in the different contexts of everyday life (at home, school, work, social life);
  •  the inclusion of populations in processes of disruption of social support;
  •  the study of public policies directed to the populations for whom Occupational Therapy is delivered;
  •  the theoretical-methodological references for Occupational Therapy;
  •  the production and application of new knowledge and intervention technologies in Occupational Therapy to approach social issues.

These themes are objects of investigation in Occupational Therapy, socially relevant, that respond to the many needs of Brazilian society.