Validating the Potential of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to Identify Barriers to and Facilitators of Consumer Participation

Background. Occupational therapists need tools to identify barriers and facilitators to participation in societal roles . Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) two-level classification for use in occupational therapy . Methods. A secondary analysis of an existing dataset was conducted to identify participation barriers and facilitators that mapped to the ICF and those that did not . Results. A broad range of factors was captured across the components of the ICF. Findings also revealed enabling and disabling factors thatwere not evident in the ICF . Practice Implications. The ICF can support the identification of a broad range of external barriers and facilitators relevant to participation and of interest to occupational therapy. However, therapists must use other strategies to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nature, extent and consequences of barriers and facilitators that may exist in a given context .