Model of Human Occupation

After discussing a range of possible models of practice which we could use when assessing Lawrence, we collectively chose to use the Model of human occupation. Being an Occupational Therapist working in the Trauma and Orthopaedic ward at Nevill Hall Hospital we wanted to be holistic when choosing which model we would base our assessment on. In this particular case study, it was mentioned that ‘Lawrence [was] struggling to come to terms with losing his left leg, which was amputated below the knee’; using MOHO as a basis for assessment would highlight the importance of volition and motivation for occupation while also addressing Habituation, patterns of occupation, levels of ‘doing’ and environment, which were all addressed as important while reading the case study.

Although it is usually assumed that MOHO is used in a general mental health setting, we believe that not only is this model client-centred and empathetic to Lawrence’s mental health difficulties and interruptions but also concentrates on occupational participation, skills and performance which is very evident when being an Occupational Therapist in a physical setting such as this. The Model of Human Occupation includes several concepts; firstly, Volition- The motivation for Occupation. This addresses how and why is the client motivated to choose and do the things they do. Volition considers Personal Causation; how the client feels about their own abilities and what they believe they are capable of doing. Values of the client are mentioned within volition as well, these are the things the client views as important and meaningful. Lastly, the Interests of the client are taken into consideration- what someone finds enjoyable and satisfying.

Habituation, the Patterns of Occupation, is another main strand of MOHO, this focuses on how someone organises their occupations into patterns and routines. Habituation considers Habits; what someone does repeatedly in the same context/ environment to the extent that they become automatic behaviours and Roles, what specific functions make up someone’s identity e.g. Worker, parent, daughter, student. Personal Capacity deals with what the client’s capacity is to do things as based on the Objective and Subjective components. Objective components include the abilities that can be measured by others such as the status of your physical and mental/cognitive abilities. Subjective components focus on the way the client experiences their own body. Occupations and the levels of ‘Doing’ include Occupational Participation, Performance and Skills. The environment is also considered important when assessing a client such as the context(s) the client performs their occupations whether that be their Physical (spaces and objects) or Social (people and relationships) Environment.