Occupation: Science and technique for intervention in psychiatry,La ocupación: Ciencia y técnica de terapia ocupacional para la intervención en psiquiatría: Ciencia y técnica de terapia ocupacional para la intervención en psiquiatría

The development of a fundamental knowledge base for occupational therapy has led us to formulate a formal science of the profession. However, this presents us with a conceptual challenge. We must ask the following questions: 1) What other knowledge bases will be connected with this science of occupational therapy, and how will they be connected? 2) What are the subjects of study? 3) What is the methodology for approaching those subjects of study from the perspective of psychiatric treatment; and 4) What are the predictions or hypotheses that this science can offer to help develop the profession of occupational therapy? In this paper, we discuss the conceptual levels that are generated from a thorough study of the fundamental components of the profession. These conceptual levels establish the theoretical limits of the scientific and technological knowledge of this profession. Further, we lay the foundation for a cognitive spectrum that links these theoretical bases with the practical applications of occupational therapy.