Occupational Therapy Assistant Practice Exam 2026 - Free OTA Practice Questions and Study Guide

Age is indeed considered a personal characteristic as it is a fundamental aspect of an individual's identity and contributes significantly to their experiences, perspectives, and needs. In the context of occupational therapy, understanding a client's age is important because it often influences their development, the types of activities they can engage in, and the challenges they may face—such as those related to childhood development, adolescence, or aging. Age can affect a person's physical capabilities, social interactions, and access to resources, which all play a crucial role in planning effective therapeutic interventions.

While factors like location of residence, job title, and favorite activities can be relevant in different contexts, they do not inherently define a person's identity or influence their functional capacities and therapy goals to the same extent that age does. For example, someone's job title may provide insight into their professional skills but is not a fundamental personal characteristic in the same way that age relates directly to life stages and developmental considerations in therapy.