Phenomenology in Occupational Therapy Research
This paper examines phenomenology as a qualitative research methodology and its application to occupational therapy. Beginning with Edmund Husserl's foundational concept of "suspension of disbelief," the paper traces how phenomenology centers individual experience in the social construction of reality. It considers phenomenology's use in advertising research — specifically Nagel's framework of "because" and "in order to" selves — before turning to occupational therapy. Drawing on Lequerica et al.'s (2009) survey of therapist–patient engagement in rehabilitation, the paper argues that phenomenology can help occupational therapists uncover the personal dimensions of patient experience, ultimately improving rehabilitation outcomes.
- Introduction to Qualitative Research and Phenomenology: Qualitative methods and Husserl's phenomenological framework introduced
- Phenomenology and the Social Construction of Reality: Individual experience as the core of social reality
- Applying Phenomenology to Advertising and Consumer Behavior: Nagel's 'present and future selves' in purchase decisions
- Phenomenology and Occupational Therapy: Phenomenology applied to rehabilitation and therapy practice
- Phenomenology as a Research Tool in Rehabilitation Studies: Lequerica et al. findings and phenomenological follow-up potential
- Conclusion: Phenomenology recommended for deeper occupational therapy research
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper moves logically from abstract methodology to concrete application, grounding theoretical discussion in real clinical examples.
- It uses a cross-disciplinary comparison — advertising research alongside occupational therapy — to illustrate the broad utility of phenomenology before narrowing its focus.
- The integration of an authoritative definition from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists lends credibility to the clinical discussion.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the technique of using an established theoretical framework (phenomenology) as a lens through which to analyze an applied professional field (occupational therapy). Rather than simply describing phenomenology in the abstract, the author connects it to specific research findings — particularly Lequerica et al. (2009) — to show how the methodology could be operationalized in practice. This moves the argument from "what is phenomenology?" to "what can phenomenology do for therapists and patients?"
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a comparison of qualitative and quantitative research to establish context, then introduces phenomenology through Husserl's foundational ideas. A middle section uses advertising research to illustrate phenomenological concepts in a non-clinical setting. The final sections apply phenomenology directly to occupational therapy, referencing a published rehabilitation study and proposing phenomenology as both a preliminary and follow-up research method. The conclusion reinforces its practical value for improving patient care.
Introduction to Qualitative Research and Phenomenology
Methods associated with the qualitative approach have been developed and strengthened over the years, creating a new perspective from which research studies of the latter 20th century are seen, understood, and explained. Compared with the quantitative approach and its methods, qualitative research lends itself to the challenge of analyzing and interpreting phenomena in a more specific and subjective manner. Qualitative methods — such as in-depth interviewing, focus group discussions (FGDs), ethnographic observation, and phenomenology — place a premium on individual experiences and the differences between them. Because of the nature of these methodologies, qualitative research studies are conducted to provide in-depth insights about phenomena, issues, or problems posed by the researcher. Since each case is subjectively analyzed and interpreted, results cannot be generalized to a specific group or population. Instead, qualitative research methods provide a comprehensive scan of themes and concepts that help the researcher understand the research problem.
Phenomenology as a qualitative research methodology first emerged as a philosophical movement in the 20th century. Described from the classical perspective — that is, from its originator Edmund Husserl — phenomenology is a method involving the "suspension of disbelief." By this, Husserl meant that (Carroll et al., 2000, p. 7):
what ordinarily counts as actual is taken up without regard for its actuality… all phenomena are left open to an investigation into what makes them phenomena… what makes them count as real, meaningful objects for ordinary experience… phenomenological description creatively evokes an experience of something in order to guide other investigators toward the same something.
"Guiding other investigators toward the same something" aptly describes the nature of qualitative research methodologies, as each method seeks to provide a more in-depth look at a particular construct or phenomenon. However, what sets phenomenology apart from other methods is that it brings the individual's experience to the center stage of both analysis and interpretation. Furthermore, unlike other methods, it does not confine itself to theoretical frameworks that attempt to provide researchers with a predetermined guide for interpreting insights. Thus, the "researcher's interpretive schema is under suspension," and social phenomena are understood as claimed or experienced by the subject under study (Carroll et al., 2000, p. 8). More akin to the process of grounded theory research, phenomenology uses insights and data as its foundation for developing a broader yet in-depth explanation of a social phenomenon. It exhausts all possible concepts, themes, and insights that can be generated from the individual and their experience in order to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the social phenomenon being studied.
References
Carroll, M., & Tafoya, E. (Eds.). (2000). Phenomenological approaches to popular culture. Bowling Green State University Popular Press.
Lequerica, A., Donnell, C., & Tate, D. (2009). Patient engagement in rehabilitation therapy: Physical and occupational therapist impressions. Disability and Rehabilitation, 31(9).
World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2004). Occupational therapy: 2004 definition. Retrieved from http://www.wfot.com/office_files/final%20definitioncm20042.pdf
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