Measuring Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure:
Outcomes and Competence
Bria Caldwell
RCSM 472
Indiana State University

In the two articles that I selected I found the topic of competence and outcomes a popular issue within therapeutic recreation profession. The importance is really based on the competence that one has in the profession, and through that competence the degree of outcomes are better for patients. One must have the ability to culturally relevant and provide care to all patients, and implement quality in all aspects of therapeutic recreation. It is a constant process to measure the outcomes and competence quality to ensure a diverse practice and to provide the best treatment for patients.
Professional competence is the ability to provide patient-centered care; providing culturally relevant care, coordinating continuous cares, advocating health, wellness, and quality of life. The way it relates to outcome based practice is the fact that client outcomes are a result of the therapeutic relationship. The ability to be professionally competent allows for client progress. Professionally it is important to know that clients will have different circumstances and based on those differences allows the ability for change and growth.
The measurement of these outcomes still seems to hold concern in therapeutic recreation. Kloseck (2001) describes in Measuring Therapeutic Recreation Outcomes in Rehabilitation: Further Testing of the Leisure Competence Measure, the Leisure Competence Measure (LCM) and how it is designed and used to measure clientele leisure functioning across 8 domains, and to measure the therapeutic recreation outcomes (p.31). In the article it further discusses the use of the LCM in practices and the significance of it. With competence and outcomes being measured it allows patients to receive the treatments that they need as well as consistently progressing towards their treatment goals. All dimensions of a practice must be updated and consistently show quality throughout, which in turn leads to the ability of the professional to designate and deliver services that produce predictable, meaningful, and important client outcomes.
In Kloseck second article Leisure Competence Measure: Development and Reliability Testing of a Scale to Measure Functional Outcomes in Therapeutic Recreation, how important these measurements are and how essential they are in the health care professions to ensure treatment effectiveness. The overall importance is surrounded by the value of the practice and the effectiveness of outcomes for patients. Kloseck further explains how there is various conceptualizations of competence, with one being the examination of competence from a motivational construct, which ensures that all clients have the need to feel competent.
I certainly believe that tracking