Implicit bias in occupational therapy practice

What Is Implicit Bias?

Implicit bias is a form of unconscious discrimination that can have a profound and lasting impact on occupational therapy (OT) practice. Individuals show an unconscious preference for or prejudice against a certain person or group of people by making rapid and automatic mental associations about people, ideas, and objects and the attitudes and stereotypes they hold about them. The automaticity of these associations or preferences affects people’s behavior, interactions, and decision making. Often, people of color may experience difficulty accessing appropriate care, engaging in educational activities, and even participating in the workplace as a result of implicit bias in the form of discrimination, including but not limited to language barriers, financial constraints, lack of insurance coverage, and inadequate cultural knowledge.