PERSONAL PROJECTS - A USEFUL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF OCCUPATION

A comprehensive and useful understanding of human occupation requires research methods that capture its individual dimensions while permitti ng analyses within and across groups. In this article we describe the construct of personal projects and the research method of personal pro jects analysis. Both have their origins in studies of personality and have been used successfully to link individual traits and context-base d, goal-directed behavior to well-being and other variables. The appro priateness and relevance of this approach for studies of occupation an d occupational therapy are considered.