Occupational Experiences and Attributions of Typically Developing Adolescents

Background: Understanding the occupational experience of typically developing adolescents and their attributions of strengths and difficulties is important for promoting their adaptive occupational participation. Objectives: To explore the psychometric properties of the Self-Perception of Occupational Experiences for Teens (SPOT) interview, occupational experiences, attributions of strengths and difficulties, and strategies for managing challenges among typically developing adolescents. Methodology: 83 typically developing adolescents underwent the Self-Perception of Occupational experiences for Teens interview. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: Acceptable to good internal consistency was found across all SPOT domains and scales and moderate correlations among all scales within the four domains. Descriptive analyses showed high ratings across domains, with social activities reported the most enjoyable and activities of daily living the least difficult. Leisure and social domains were the most frequently reported as strengths, while education was the most difficult. Emerged themes from qualitative analyses were internal attributes, external attributes, and motivation. Connecting with others and personal values were rated as most effective strategies for overcoming challenges. Conclusions: Aligning interventions with adolescents’ attributions and challenges may enhance their motivation and engagement, promoting adaptive participation.