Occupational therapy (OT) is a health profession focused on helping people across the lifespan participate in the activities of daily life they want and need to do. This participation, known as “occupation,” is promoted through the therapeutic use of activity to achieve health, well-being, and a better quality of life. The history of this discipline is a story of evolving ideas, moving from philosophical concepts of humane care to a formalized medical practice. The establishment of OT recognized the profound link between purposeful activity and human health.
Philosophical Foundations
The intellectual groundwork for occupational therapy began with the Moral Treatment movement in the 18th and 19th centuries. European reformers like Philippe Pinel in France and William Tuke in England advocated for a shift from punitive, custodial care of the mentally ill toward a more humane approach. They asserted that engaging patients in productive and meaningful occupations could facilitate recovery and restore dignity. This approach recognized that structured daily activities were inherently therapeutic.
Concurrently, the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided a practical foundation for the profession. This movement reacted against the dehumanizing effects of industrialization and mass production. Proponents believed that engaging in handcrafts and creative work was restorative, promoting mental and physical health through the connection of mind and body. These two movements—Moral Treatment and Arts and Crafts—converged, suggesting that occupation was a powerful tool for healing.
The Official Founding
The formal establishment of the profession occurred when a diverse group recognized the need for an organized society to advance these therapeutic principles. The foundational meeting took place from March 15 to 17, 1917, in Clifton Springs, New York, at Consolation House. This facility was founded by architect George Edward Barton, who is credited with coining the term “occupational therapy” after recognizing its therapeutic effect during his own recovery. The group established the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy (NSPOT), marking the official beginning of the field.
The founders of NSPOT came from various professional backgrounds, contributing to the holistic nature of the new discipline. Among the six attendees were psychiatrist Dr. William Rush Dunton Jr., known as the “father of occupational therapy,” and social worker Eleanor Clarke Slagle. Slagle, often called the “mother of occupational therapy,” advocated for “habit training,” a method for establishing balanced daily routines. Other key founders included vocational educator Thomas Bessell Kidner, arts and crafts teacher Susan Cox Johnson, and Isabel G. Newton.
Expansion and Medical Integration
The nascent profession quickly found opportunity for growth with the United States’ entry into World War I. The need to rehabilitate thousands of wounded soldiers led to the mobilization of women known as “reconstruction aides” in military hospitals. These aides utilized therapeutic activities, including crafts, to address the physical and psychological injuries of servicemen. The success of this work demonstrated the practical and medical value of occupation, moving the profession beyond its initial focus on mental health.
This wartime application positioned occupational therapy within the medical rehabilitation sphere. In 1921, the organization officially changed its name to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to reflect its expanding role in healthcare. World War II further accelerated momentum, creating high demand for practitioners to rehabilitate veterans with complex injuries. This period solidified the move toward a scientifically-based, medically integrated model of rehabilitation emphasizing functional outcomes.