title: Empowerment and occupation: A new perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The idea of empowerment permeates the occupational therapy literature yet has received little critical reflection from occupational therapy's theorists.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to explore the concept of empowerment and highlight a recent definition that resonates with occupational therapists' core values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Empowerment is generally understood to be a process of bestowing power and giving ability to someone deficient in both. However, a new definition provides a framework for understanding how empowerment might enhance people's capabilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The World Bank's depiction of empowerment fits well with occupational therapists' beliefs in the importance of the ability and opportunity to "do," providing a framework for action. This framework focuses on people's capabilities: their freedom-or opportunity-to choose what they wish to do and to be and their ability to act on these wishes. Moreover, the World Bank's assertion that empowered people have freedom of both choice and action suggests empowerment is a relevant concept for occupational therapists.
authors.forename: Karen R Whalley
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hammell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011209:Power, Psychological; D020377:Self Efficacy; D009626:Terminology as Topic
keywords: Capabilities; Human rights; Occupational therapy; Theory; Values; capacités; droits humains; ergothérapie; théorie; valeurs