University students' self-perception of occupational competence
Keywords:
motivation; occupational competence; occupational therapy; volitionAbstract
Introduction: Occupational competence is defined as an individual's ability to respond effectively to the demands of their environment while experiencing a sense of personal satisfaction. In university education, it is linked to professional identity and the ability to cope with academic challenges.
Objective: To assess the self-perception of occupational competence among occupational therapy students at a private university in Santiago, Chile.
Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study with a purposive sample of 90 students in their second through fifth years who were taking practical courses in the program. The "Occupational Self-Assessment" instrument was used. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha, yielding values of 0.93 for the "Myself" section and 0.88 for "My Environment."
Results: There was a decrease in the perception of competence in the "how well I do it" component as students progressed through their academic program, while the "how important" component showed an upward trend. The greatest reduction in scores was observed in items related to task concentration, self-care, and the ability to enjoy the practical experience. The perception of the physical and social environment also decreased at the more advanced levels of practice.
Conclusions: The increasing complexity of clinical practices can lead to a discrepancy between the assessment of occupational tasks and the perception of competence in performing them, reflecting tensions in the training process and potential risks of occupational competence dysfunction.
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