Work, study and productivity: from confusion to definition

Abstract

In the last decade, the concepts of "Work", "Study" and "Productivity" have been closely associated in clinical and theoretical research in Occupational Therapy. In fact, these concepts are very different from one another and are wrongly associated to "Occupational performance". This association provokes confusion and negative effects on both the clients and the theoretical development of the profession. From a psycho sociological point of view, this article aims to demonstrate the fundamental differences between the three concepts and discuss the pernicious effects of maintaining the conceptual confusion. The analysis will explore the following topics: peer recognition, autonomy, social relationships, identity, and performance measure.