%0 Journal Article
%T Factors affecting occupational therapists¡¯ decision to join their regional professional association:  Facteurs influen£¿ant la d¨¦cision des ergoth¨¦rapeutes de joindre les rangs de leur association professionnelle r¨¦gionale
%A Angelica N. Reyes
%A Cary A. Brown
%J Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
%@ 1911-9828
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/0008417418755457
%X Voluntary occupational therapy organizations fill an important role. However, recruitment and retention can be problematic. Little is known about factors influencing occupational therapists to join/maintain membership in professional associations. This study investigated factors influencing occupational therapists¡¯ decision to join/remain members of their association. An electronic survey was carried out and data were analyzed using SPSS software and manual categorization of open-ended comments. Two hundred and fifty-four therapists responded. Generation of new ideas, opportunities for professional development, self-improvement, maintenance of standards, improvement of the profession, and discounts on equipment/educational opportunities were significant factors in deciding to join the organization. The factors perceived as priorities varied in relation to participants¡¯ year of graduation. More-customized strategies, reflecting priorities that vary during a therapist¡¯s career path, may need to be employed to best address recruitment and retention across the range of therapists¡¯ needs and goals
%K Occupational therapy
%K Organizational development
%K Organizations
%K Professional identity
%K Professionalism
%K D¨¦veloppement organisationnel
%K Ergoth¨¦rapie
%K Identit¨¦ professionnelle
%K Organisations
%K Professionnalisme
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0008417418755457