What Is Occupational Science?

While the primary focus of occupational therapy is the promotion of health and well-being through functional activity, occupational science studies the nature, function and meaning of those activities.

Occupational science is a separate, academic discipline which grew out of occupational therapy at the beginning of the 1990's, with the purpose of studying the meaning of human occupation in order to understand the mutual influence of occupation and health of individuals, communities and nations. This discipline provides our profession with its own scientific base for practice, forms the bridge between basic and applied science and contributes to the knowledge base of other disciplines.

Because occupation is so all-embracing, we often do not grasp its significance. Engagement in occupation is an integral aspect of humanness. Doing (occupation) and being (humanness) have an intimate relationship. A better understanding of the importance and meaning of occupation in human existence in different contexts supports the development of occupational therapy.

Through research, occupational science facilitates an understanding of the complexity of occupation, those routine engagements in doing and being which shape our identities and our lives. Research into the meaning, purpose and complexities of the interaction between people and what they do is of vital importance for all disciplines, professions and agencies responsible for socio-cultural, political and health planning.