Drawing on Wilcock: An Investigation of the Impact of Her Published Work on Occupational Therapy Practice and Research

Abstract

Introduction: Ann Wilcock's published work identifies the fundamental importance of occupation in promoting health, wellbeing and even survival. Despite the implications for occupational therapy, the impact of her work has not been comprehensively explored. This research investigated how her ideas were used in published research from 1993 to 2007. Method and findings: Mixed methods obtained two sets of data. First, qualitative data from a textual analysis of Wilcock's published work were analysed and used to create a glossary and a conceptual framework of her ideas. Secondly, content analysis of 48 research papers yielded 121 citations, which were coded into categories. The findings indicated that her ideas did not appear to be embraced fully by other authors and were sometimes applied superficially. Discussion: The conceptual framework was refined and finalised, to demonstrate how Wilcock's ideas are interrelated. It is presented as a means of developing an accessible occupational perspective for research and practice.