The CRAFT Model - Dynamic Variations of a Holistic Model - Part 1

Balance and the CRAFT Model


The CRAFT Model, the Context Related Abilities Functional Therapy Model, is a holistic model for a person living a life. As a concept it is designed to be dynamic and responsive to changes. In this article we will review the model and then focus on our the things we do (functions or occupations) and the concept of striving towards balance.

Lets review the CRAFT Model briefly. The Model is built upon the surface of a globe, this represents the context of the individual. The 3 aspects of context are the Physical Environment, Cultural Background, and Social Supports. If we consider a person in their workplace we encounter the physical layout of the place, this includes obvious things like accessibility with ramps and elevators but also less concrete things like propinquity (the proximity of your colleagues). This ties closely to the social environment and supports of your workplace; who can you rely on, who can you consult and who you can't. This is closely tied to the culture of your institution and to the area of the country in which you live; does work start at 8 am, are there lunch breaks, is overtime expected / appreciated / discouraged, is there a siesta?

Upon this context springs the abilities of the individual; the following are some examples to help you as you consider a person and the various abilities they display. The Physical pillar may be the most obvious, almost all of the effort in medicine goes towards realigning this area. Medications are most often directed at restoring organ function, reducing pain, reducing inflammation, etc.; surgical medicine is primarily focused on physical correction while most exercise and therapy is dedicated to restoring physical strength and structural integrity of a persons physical self. The Mental pillar is also significant as a person's safety and function relates to their attention, judgement, memory, orientation, etc.; more attention has been placed on this as the population ages as conditions like Alzheimer's Syndrome are more prevalent, but brain injury has highlighted coping skills and many challenges even for the very young. The Social pillar governs how a person interacts with others, different from the the social supports, these are the abilities that allow a person to maintain friendships, read others reactions, be empathetic, etc.; autism and schizophrenia have highlighted some of the social interaction disorders but as we know the spectrum from the charismatic to the recluse displays many skill levels. The Motivational pillar embodies those skills that get us up in the morning, ready for the world and its challenges; depression may make its biggest impact on this area, causing a malaise that may prevent a person from using many of the other abilities.

Upon the ability pillars sits the platform of functions or 'things we do', these are sometimes called 'occupations' by OTs. In particular we have three categories: Work, Leisure and Self Care. These are divided by the meaning of the activity; for instance cooking can be for work if you are employed as a chef or are preparing food for your family, or cooking could be self care if you are making a meal for yourself, or it could also be leisure if you are making a recipe from a new cookbook or magazine for a fun change. The meanings of the tasks reflect which category it goes into. Now let's explore an old adage where someone is out of balance.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

This is what it might look like on the CRAFT model. What might be the consequences for Jack? Well, we can see that Jack's sleep and hygiene might be suffering, also his creativity may be stunted as he is not opening himself to outside leisure pursuits. He may in fact be a "dull boy." What might happen to his ability pillars, he might most obviously suffer from a lack of exercise and his physical health may falter, there is some evidence that working far too much overtime may lead to other deficits in mental performance, but he may also find himself irritable or lacking motivation. This may then impact his social supports who might be angry about him cancelling the vacation and a wife who is considering divorce.

As you can see, we have a dynamic model that allows us to quickly visualize the state of imbalance that someone is in. Over the next few articles we will explore other imbalances and what we might visualize as ways to help a person back to a purposeful and functional life.


Please leave any questions, ideas, or comments on the model below or email: RFT@FunctionalTherapist.org.

Thanks,



Ed Kaine, OTR, RFT
President of the League of Functional Therapists

"Functional Therapy... the Next Generation of Occupational Therapy."