MOHO - Model of Human Occupation

MOHO (Model of Human Occupation)

• Theoretical model that helps OTs understand how individuals' motivations, roles, habits, and routines influence their engagement in meaningful activities and occupations
• Focuses on understanding and explaining human occupation from a holistic perspective
• Often used to guide assessment and intervention in occupational therapy
• Founded by Gary Kielhofner in 1975, grew from Mary Reilly's occupational behavior theory
• Includes interaction with the environment, making it the first therapy to do so

MOHO Three Main Components

• Volition: pertains to a person's motivation, interests, values, and beliefs that influence their occupational choices and behaviors
• Habituation: refers to habits and routines, which can be both beneficial and detrimental
• Performance Capacity: includes the person's underlying capacities that support their engagement in occupations and activities

Target Population and Theoretical Base

• Suited for persons of all ages and abilities
• Can be used in a continuum of care settings
• Theoretical base is the process of engagement in occupations

Habits and Routines

• Automatic and repetitive behaviors; learned tendencies in response to doing; consistent ways of doing in familiar environments
• Routines are part of habits

Occupations

• Anything that engages one's time, energy, and resources
• Can be intrinsically motivating or extrinsically motivated
• Humans have a psychological need for occupation; lack of occupation can cause suffering
• Occupations are goal-directed pursuits, have temporal meaning, are recognizable by others in society, and hold meaning for the person

Occupational Competence and Exploration

• Occupational Competence: having sufficient or adequate behavior to meet the demands of a situation and includes mastery of skills
• Occupational Exploration: includes the search for new experiences, for its own sake, that leads to the development of new skills; it's a lifelong process

Occupational Achievement

• Identifiable level of success, attainment, or proficiency that goes beyond competency
• Example: achieving a higher level of expertise, further certification, or a doctorate

Variables in MOHO

• Person Variables:
  • Volition: motivation, interests, values, and beliefs
  • Causation: internal appraisal, of capacity, effectiveness, and self-efficacy
  • Values and Interests: values are important and meaningful; interests are enjoyable and satisfying to do
  • Habituation: habits, occupation is organized into patterns, routines, and roles
  • Internalized Roles: identity with inherent obligations (e.g., parents); expectations that allow a person to meet defined status of self and society
  • Performance Capacity: physical and mental abilities that lead to skilled performance actions
• Environment:
  • Physical: static, can be modified at home but doesn't change
  • Social: family, friends may change as you get old
• Occupation (Occupational Participation): how people engage in daily occupations