Recreational Therapy Competencies, Part 2: Findings from the ATRA Competencies Study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2020-V54-I4-10238

Keywords:

Assessments, competencies, education, interventions, modalities, populations, recreational therapy, techniques, theories

Abstract

The American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s (ATRA) Competencies Study was the final phase of a two-part, multi-year study to better understand the competencies of Recreational Therapists (RTs) across treatment settings and service sectors. One thousand, three hundred and seventy seven RTs were assessed on 747 items within seven areas of RT practice identified in ATRA’s Delphi Study. Each RT rated the extent that each item is being treated, utilized, or provided in their RT practice, their perceived knowledge and skills in relation to the items, and if they were interested in gaining more knowledge related to each item. Results are reported regarding areas of RT practice that were highly, moderately, and lowly rated to further capture the scope of practice of RT as well as identify areas of strength and opportunity to bolster RT practice. Opportunities within the profession to apply these findings are discussed.

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Author Biographies

Brent L. Hawkins, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Brent Hawkins, PhD, LRT/CTRS is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Recreation Therapy in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington

Betsy Kemeny, Slippery Rock University

Betsy Kemeny, PhD, CTRS, FDRT, CPG, CARSS-II is an Associate Professor of Recreational Therapy in the College of Health, Engineering and Science at Slippery Rock University

Heather R. Porter, Temple University

Heather Porter, PhD, CTRS is an Associate Professor of Recreational Therapy in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University

Published

2020-10-15