About the Model of Creative Ability
The Model of Creative Ability is an occupational therapy practice model of contemporary relevance to OTs and other health care professionals and assistants. It is a recovery model that enables therapists to facilitate the recovery of motivation and occupational performance with understanding of the relationship between 'doing' and 'becoming': the term 'creative' relates to ones ability to change in response to the life's demands -
the creation of oneself.
This model provides a means of measuring motivation (including the strength of motivation) alongside measuring changes in occupational performance skills. Unique to this model is its provision of a detailed guide to the selection and presentation of intervention in the form of activity.
The model originates from South Africa where it has been used extensively for 40 years and is taught on the majority of undergraduate occupational therapy programmes. The model is gaining increasing interest and favour in the UK where it is included in the curriculum of three OT undergraduate programmes. As a result of the high level of interest in and satisfying experience of the model in the UK, Masters level modules in the model are also in evidence in the UK.
As one of only two OT models to provide detailed explanations of the relationship between motivation and occupational performance, the Model of Creative Ability is of particular interest to mental health and learning disabilities practice where it is purported to be effective for all diagnoses and severity of illness/problems. This means that even clients who are unresponsive and 'difficult to engage' can receive therapeutic intervention from day one rather than waiting for such clients 'to get a bit better' in response to medication whilst potentially being deemed as 'not ready' or 'unsuitable for OT'.