Modes of resourceful behavior: A holistic approach to the adaptive process with implications for occupational therapy intervention

Through three integrated studies, the concept of modes of resourceful behavior was explored. In the first study, an instrument that identifies modes of resourcefulness was developed and went through the content validation process. Methods of tool development and validation described by Benson and Clark (1982) were used. Occupational therapy clinicians and academicians were consulted on categorization of instrument components. Judges outside the field of occupational therapy made recommendations regarding test structure and presentation.

In the second study, a newly developed instrument, The Needs Scale (Figure 5), was piloted and issues of construct validation were addressed. A pool of fifty-two occupational therapy students involved in the process of making adaptive equipment were used as subjects. A chi-square analysis determined the relationship of narrative student data to instrument scores without significant outcome. Limitations such as insufficient narrative data, provision of resources by instructors and easy access to peer and instructor support in the making of adaptive equipment confounded the study.

During the third study, data gathered from interviews with clients and therapists in a home health setting were compared with results from The Needs Scale. Grounded theory methods of data analysis (Strauss and Corbin, 1990) were used. Emergent themes included the relationship of modes of resourcefulness to safety, trust, and client motivation as well as critical thinking and client adaptation processes.

The results of this research added breadth and depth to the information previously gathered on the concept of resourceful behavior. Suggestions for future studies include construct validation of The Needs Scale, focus on the nature of emotional and spiritual modes of resourcefulness and mode configurations.