| This dissertation is presented as a collection of three research papers, each designed to stand alone, under the broad research investigation to understand how the dominant discourse of individualism within therapeutic recreation affects leisure education intervention, the utilization of therapeutic recreation practice models, and the therapeutic recreation process. The purpose of the first study was to investigate whether leisure education researchers have committed the individualistic-oriented fundamental attribution error (FAE). The FAE is a person's inflated belief in personal factors when explaining human behavior, together with the failure to recognize social and external variables (Ross & Nisbett, 1991). It was concluded that the FAE has occurred in leisure education research. The purpose of the second study was to identify, from the perspective of six certified therapeutic recreation specialists, how therapeutic recreation professionals who employ individualistically-oriented therapeutic recreation practice models manage cross-ethnic interactions in therapeutic recreation practice. Four salient themes which emerged from the data were: (1) implementation of Euro North-American individualistic concepts as universal notions, (2) awareness of diversity issues, (3) recognition of limited educational training regarding diversity issues, and (4) awareness of greater family involvement among ethnic minority clients during therapeutic recreation programing. The purpose of the third paper was to provide a genealogy of the therapeutic recreation certification process and highlight how it is situated in a dominant discourse of individualism. In particular, three disciplinary methods are used to support and reinforce individualistic notions as a "common sense" or normal therapeutic recreation practice. First, the art of distribution is the disciplinary technique of individuation of space. Second, the examination combines hierarchal observation and a normalizing gaze to measure and prescribe interventions premised upon an assumption to treat clients as individuals or single cases. Third, the confessional is an act when an individual is exposed to an authority figure for self-reflection and self-knowledge purposes. Combined, these three disciplinary techniques unknowingly develop an archipelago of individualism within the therapeutic recreation profession. All three studies provide recommendations regarding future research, education, and practice. |
