Introduction / Rationale: Engagement in meaningful activities is a key outcome for occupational therapy interventions and greater well-being. The Evaluation of Meaningful Activity Survey (EMAS) is emerging as a powerful quantitative research tool for occupational therapists and other health professionals to determine what is meaningful in people's lives. However, the globally translated 12-item research scale is only part of the original EMAS design. It omits the valuable qualitative component, which captures the client’s self-identified activity repertoire and choices.
Objectives: To demonstrate the clinical utility of the original EMAS (Long Form LF) in identifying self-disclosed “life relevant” occupations, giving purpose and confirming a sense of self.
Methods / Approach: The EMAS-LF will be provided to attendees as a guide with references to EMAS psychometrics and translations. Using the instrument’s qualitative and quantitative content and a triangulation process, a typical client’s story will demonstrate how occupations are integrated dynamically and used as interventions and media for positive health support and competence building.
Results / Practice Implications: The EMAS-LF is a valuable adjunct in compiling the client’s occupational profiles, specifying client-identified meaningful activities and behaviour patterns contributing to their self-worth. The short quantitative survey provides insight for program planning on domains to enhance meaningful activity participation, influencing a person’s sense of purpose and quality of life. It is frequently used alone as a change measure.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: The internationally expanded use of the EMAS strengthens the conceptual clarity and underpinning of meaningful engagement in occupational therapy theory and philosophy. The EMAS-LF adds clarity and focus to an occupational lens in exploring people as doers.