Dissident Genders and Sexualities in the Occupational Therapy Peer-Reviewed Literature: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Importance: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other dissident gender and sexuality (LGBTQIA+) population is prone to experiencing violence and social deprivation. Although occupational therapy research and practice has addressed populations experiencing various forms of discrimination, few studies have focused on the LGBTQIA+ population as an area of concern.

Objective: To map, characterize, and analyze peer-reviewed journal articles related to the LGBTQIA+ population in the occupational therapy literature.

Data sources: We searched for journal articles published up to December 2021 indexed in the Virtual Health Library, CINAHL, SciELO Citation Index, SCOPUS, and Web of Science.

Study selection and data collection: We used Arksey and O'Malley's methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) extension for scoping reviews. Included articles articulated occupational therapy practice, education, research, and theoretical analysis in relation to LGBTQIA+.

Findings: Forty-three articles published from 1987 to 2021 met the inclusion criteria. They included 28 research articles, 9 reflection articles, 3 experience reports, and 3 literature reviews.

Conclusions and relevance: Articles primarily offered general recommendations and possible professional contributions. More studies that seek to ascertain the effectiveness and limitations of occupational therapy practice with the LGBTQIA+ population are needed. With its diverse theoretical and methodological assumptions, occupational therapy can offer support so that professionals can alleviate these people's suffering in oppressive conditions and contribute to a more just society. What This Article Adds: This scoping review provides an overview of academic publications in occupational therapy on the LGBTQIA+ population, identifies dominant topics and gaps in this context, and points to ways to advance occupational therapy's contributions and actions that consider the needs and demands of people of dissident genders and sexualities.