Mindfulness and human occupation: A scoping review.
Victoria Goodman, Brooke Wardrope, Suzanne Myers, Shelly Cohen, Lisa McCorquodale, Elizabeth Anne Kinsella
Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy April 2019 DOI: 10.1080/11038128.2018.1483422 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Human occupation Occupational therapy Yoga |
| Key findings | The review identifies an overarching theme of "mindful occupation" in the literature linking mindfulness to human occupation, with five sub-themes: occupational presence, occupational awareness, occupational engagement, occupational well-being, and occupational fulfillment. The authors argue these findings have implications for practice, education, theory, and research, and call for more empirical research on mindful engagement in human occupation. |
Abstract
Mindfulness is an emergent construct with implications for our understanding of approaches to engagement in human occupation. Little is known about how mindfulness is being applied and what its possibilities are in the occupation-based disciplines. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize, describe, and identify gaps in the existing literature on mindfulness in relation to human occupation. A scoping review, guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework was undertaken. The initial search yielded 929 articles; 20 articles met the criteria for inclusion. Articles included peer review and gray literature published in English between 2006-2016. Articles addressed mindfulness in OT or OS and included the terms 'human occupation', 'occupational therapy' and/or 'occupational therapist', and 'mindfulness' and/or 'meditation' or 'yoga'. The qualitative thematic analysis identified an overarching theme of mindful occupation, with 5 sub-themes including occupational presence; occupational awareness; occupational engagement; occupational well-being; and occupational fulfillment. The findings have important implications for practice, education, theory and research. Future directions should focus on more depth and breadth of empirical research about mindful engagement in human occupation that can be used to implement and evaluate mindfulness in occupation-based theory and practice.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A Manualized Occupational Therapy Mindfulness Module for Clients with PTSD August 1, 2022
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Occupational Therapy: A Systematic Review. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy December 29, 2025
- "I seemed calmer, clearer, and better able to react to challenging situations": phenomenological reflections on learning about mindfulness in health professions education. Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice September 9, 2024
Cites 18
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Association of an Educational Program in Mindful Communication With Burnout, Empathy, and Attitudes Among Primary Care Physicians JAMA September 22, 2009
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
and 13 more in the library