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February 25, 2026OTJR Occupational Therapy Journal of Research0 citationsOpen Access

Culturally Responsive Occupational Therapy Education and Practice: A Scoping Review

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KCKripa Titty CherianPLPramod Dattaram LamborAGAbhilasha George

Key Points

  • This review aims to explore the definitions, implementations, and integrations of culturally responsive care in occupational therapy literature.
  • Conducted a systematic search on multiple databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO.
  • Utilized key terms related to occupational therapy and cultural responsiveness.
  • Applied Arksey and O'Malley’s framework to analyze 53 studies using the Health Standards Organization Cultural Safety and Humility Framework.
  • Culturally responsive care was understood as ranging from cultural competence to cultural humility.
  • There was significant emphasis on community partnerships, especially with Indigenous groups.
  • Despite recognition of culturally responsive care as important, its practical application in training and service delivery remains limited.

Abstract

Culturally responsive care (CRC) is essential in occupational therapy (OT) to ensure equitable, relevant, and meaningful client engagement. The use of CRC in OT education and practice remains variable. We aimed to map how CRC is defined, implemented, and integrated in OT literature and to identify knowledge gaps. We systematically searched PubMed (NCBI), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Scopus (Elsevier), and PsycINFO (ProQuest) using key terms related to OT and cultural responsiveness. Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, we charted and analysed 53 studies using the Health Standards Organization (HSO) Cultural Safety and Humility Framework. CRC was conceptualized across a spectrum from cultural competence to cultural humility, with strong engagement in community partnerships, especially with Indigenous groups. Although CRC is a recognized priority in OT, its application across training and service delivery remains limited, especially from the global south. Addressing these gaps is essential for equitable and accountable OT practice to maximize client satisfaction.

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Cite This Study

Cherian et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/699e919cf5123be5ed04f353https://doi.org/10.1177/15394492261418531
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