Meaningful and Psychologically Rewarding Occupations: Characteristics and Implications for Occupational Therapy Practice

Abstract

The differences between meaningful and psychologically rewarding occupations were investigated. Fifty-two individuals from the United States and South Africa participated in the research, which was conducted using the Experience Sampling Method. Participants were cued at random, five times per day for 7 days. Each time when cued, they documented the types of occupations in which they were participating, associated mood, and perceived meaning of the occupations. Meaningful and psychologically rewarding occupations were similar: Both were physically stimulating and connected participants with other people. There were differences between U.S. and South African participants regarding perceived meaning of occupations and associated mood.

Keywords:

• occupation
• meaningfulness
• psychologically rewarding
• flow

Acknowledgments

I thank Bethany Hanson, Clare Koezly, and Andrew Kuik for their assistance in gathering data in the United States. Thanks also to Dr. Lana Van Niekerk for her assistance in conducting the study in South Africa.