A review and critique of well-being in occupational therapy and occupational science

Abstract

Scholars in occupational therapy and occupational science often reference well-being when discussing treatment goals or occupational engagement, but the various meanings of this reference remain unexamined in current literature. This paper reports the results of a literature review of five journals and five monographs in the occupational therapy and occupational science literature. The purpose of this review was to understand and critique how scholars in the profession and the discipline conceptualize well-being, guided by broader philosophical perspectives on the subject. The review revealed inconsistent definitions and uses of “well-being” throughout the literature, illuminating the need to reconsider this concept's purpose within the profession and the discipline. Based on these results and building on current theoretical trends, the author advocates a more nuanced and considered use of well-being that acknowledges the uncertainty faced by occupational therapists, occupational scientists, and the people with whom they practice or research.

Key words::

• Well-being
• research
• practice
• concept analysis

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Dr Virginia Dickie for her many comments and edits on several drafts of this paper. Her insights helped shape the author's thinking about this paper in significant ways. She would also like to thank Dr Susan Wolf, who encouraged her to think critically about well-being in her doctoral philosophy seminar on the subject.

Declaration of interest: The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.