Introduction / Rationale: Daily occupations are deeply embedded with personal meaning, shaping our sense of purpose and ultimately influencing our health and well-being. In recent years, successive generations of young people have faced challenging global social and health circumstances beyond their control, significantly altering their daily lives and occupational engagement. Objectives:This study explores whether and how the meaningfulness of occupational engagement and perceived health have changed across five generations of young people. Methods / Approach: The study employed the Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment (MAPA) questionnaire, a Likert-scale survey in which participants reported how frequently and to what extent they experienced selected qualities of meaningfulness across various occupations in the past few months (Ekman, 2007). Participants also reflected on the impact of their occupational engagement on health, their desire to change aspects of their occupations, personal fulfillment, and boredom levels. The sample included five cohorts of first-year occupational therapy students (2020–2024, N=260, aged 18–26, M(age)=19,23, 95% female), representing experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
Results / Practice Implications: Quantitative analysis, including the Kruskal-Wallis test, revealed significantly lower occupational engagement in the 2020 cohort compared to 2024. Participants from 2021 reported reduced meaningfulness due to second year of restrictions, limited social interactions, and disrupted routines. However, all participants perceived occupations as contributing to their health and prsonal fulfillment, with moderate levels of boredom and desire for change.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: Findings highlight the need for occupational therapy to adapt interventions based on social contexts, emphasizing meaningfulness over mere participation. Therapists have the opportunity to address unproductive boredom, support occupational adaptation, and encourage resilience through the meningful occupational engagement.