Person-environment congruence: a rehabilitation perspective

Abstract

The present paper outlines a model of person-environment congruence within a rehabilitation context. The model suggests the following: a) The person component may be conceptualized as being composed of two separate dimensions, namely, the functional or activity level involved, e.g., Sub-Body, Self, and Exterio Self-Systems and an operational context within which these functions are performed, e.g., Biophysical, Mental and Affective Contexts. b) The environment component is comprised of a single dimension, that of environmental settings, e.g., treatment, home, work, and community settings. Environmental settings are further noted for their physical, personal, and social properties. The resulting three-dimensional model was, then, utilized in a discussion aimed at clarifying the concepts of disease, impairment, disability and handicap. The paper concludes with a brief suggestion of the nature of the relationship between the concept of functional assessment and the present model.