Competence, Mastery and Independence: Our Cultural Heritage
Marjorie E. Scaffa, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Associate Professor and Chairperson of the
Department of Occupational Therapy
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
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One of the values in American culture is our belief in competence, mastery and independence. Throughout our history, Americans have overcome adversity. We are a fiercely independent people, and we believe that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. One of our guiding principles is "if you can dream it, you can achieve it." As a collective, Americans stand up and face challenges directly, often with a sense of confidence in the justness of their cause. We believe in ourselves and have a sense of personal efficacy and effectiveness that comes from past experiences of success.
However, our view of ourselves changed dramatically with the tragic and stressful events of September 11, 2001. We were confronted with our own vulnerability and a pervasive sense of helplessness and loss of control.

CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MODEL

According to Terry Gorski, a noted expert in mental health and addictions, when individuals are confronted with an incident that produces an overwhelming level of stress with which the individual cannot cope, the typical emotional reaction is one of helplessness. We feel inadequate and often say, "What can I do?" Helplessness is so uncomfortable and disconcerting that we quickly convert this feeling into anger, fear or depression, or any combination of these three. We all know people who respond with anger when they feel out of control in an attempt to regain the illusion of control. Some are paralyzed by fear and are unable to take any constructive action. They often become obsessed with safety concerns. Those who respond with depression are depleted of psychic energy and are immobilized as a result. If these feelings persist for a long period of time, a person may develop generalized anxiety disorder, a major depressive episode or post-traumatic stress disorder needing professional treatment. One way to overcome and transcend these debilitating feelings of helplessness, anger, fear and depression is through competent action that produces feelings of mastery.

COMPETENCE and CONFIDENCE

In the months following September 11th, we heard several messages repeatedly in the media. The first message was "go back to your normal routine," or in other words, get back to the "job of living". This idea and admonition was not entirely satisfying, especially in light of the second message we heard, that "life in the United States has changed forever, it will never be the same." These two messages are somewhat contradictory and leave us wondering how to respond. Returning to life as usual seems unrealistic and does not honor those who lost their lives. The fatalistic idea of "life will never be the same" engenders more feelings of helplessness.
To move beyond helplessness, we need to use our skills, talents and abilities in creative new ways that move us forward in a changed but positive direction that is consistent with our altered view of ourselves and our world. When we use our skills, talents and abilities effectively, the inevitable result is a feeling of mastery, and feelings of mastery are incompatible with feelings of helplessness, anger, fear and depression. Mastery leads to a sense of increased confidence, which allows us to move forward, to progress. Mastery provides a measure of control over our current circumstances. Think of the terms "master mechanic" or "master electrician". These are people who have high levels of competence and who are confident in their abilities. Their competence and confidence inspires confidence in us. So competence, mastery and confidence can be contagious.
One antidote or remedy for our current psychological and emotional state as a nation is to do what we have done in the past, to channel our energy in new and creative ways to achieve our objectives. We cannot merely accept the trauma of September 11th; we must transcend it and transform it for the good of future generations. We are clearly in a time of transition and the choices we make and the actions we take will leave a lasting impression for those who follow us.

MAKING A CONTRIBUTION, EXPERIENCING MASTERY

A number of people and organizations, for example firefighters and law enforcement officers, used their skills, talents and abilities in new ways to benefit those directly affected by the terrorist attacks. In the process, they achieved a sense of mastery in the current environment and restored confidence in the future of our great country. A restaurant owner in Texas wanted to do something to help out in the weeks immediately after the attacks, but wondered what skills he had that could be of benefit. He decided to take some of his staff and equipment and set up an on-site barbecue food service for those tired and hungry workers and volunteers at "Ground Zero". He used his occupational skills in new ways to overcome his feelings of helplessness and make a contribution of his time and talents.
You are saying to yourself, this is all fine, but I do not own a business, and I could not take time off from my job to travel to New York or Washington, DC. So what am I to do? Let me offer a few suggestions. Another strength of American culture is our sense of altruism. We believe that if you help one person, you help us all and our country becomes a better place to live. So use your skills, talents and abilities in your own community. You can read to children, feed the homeless, visit elderly shut-ins, or help an adult learn to read. The list is really endless. Just contact your local volunteer agency and get to work. The activities and occupations of our everyday lives can be used to benefit others in need.

Another strategy to facilitate competence and mastery and build confidence is to learn a new skill or participate in an activity or occupation that you have wanted to do for a long time but just never somehow got around to doing. You can learn to bake bread from scratch, take ballroom dancing lessons, learn to swim, write stories for children, try out a new sport or hobby. A larger repertoire of skills leads to increased resilience or the ability to cope adaptively with adversity and "bounce back" more quickly from our difficulties. These strategies can be helpful in any stressful situations in our lives.

As an occupational therapist, I am trained to use activities of self-care, work and leisure to improve mental and physical health and well-being. Through these activities, occupational therapy helps individuals attain their highest level of function, maximizing their ability to live life to the fullest despite barriers, and thereby facilitating mastery and independence. The goal is not to simply accept one's limitations or disabilities, but to transform and transcend them, and participate in life and society fully.

In some ways, we were all temporarily "dis-abled" by the events of September 11th. We lost our confidence and sense of mastery. We can regain them. Let's vow not to simply accept the realities of September 11th, and instead, transform ourselves and our country to become better and stronger than it was before. Let's transcend our current reality and create a new, more promising future through our everyday activities and occupations. If you would like more information about occupational therapy and how it can facilitate competence, mastery and independence in your life, contact the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) at 301-652-6611, Ext. 2550 or visit the AOTF web site.