Occupational Therapists’ Use of Interpretative Description: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Interpretive description is a qualitative research methodology. The aim of this study was to map the use of interpretive description in occupational therapy research and understand its implementation. Peer-reviewed studies were located from Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre (ANZRC), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Proquest, Pubmed, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies focused on occupational therapy/science research, by occupational therapists, using interpretive description. Data extracted were location, research question/aim, methods, explicit use of credibility criteria, explicit disciplinary positioning, authors’ and participants’ ethnicities stated, and number of citations. Forty-two articles were included, published between 2014 and 2023. Use of interpretive description has steadily increased, most commonly using semi-structured interviews, exploring peoples’ experiences to inform and influence practice. Reported positioning of the researcher(s) in terms of reflexivity, culture, and disciplinary perspective was limited. Occupational therapy researchers using interpretive description should position themselves in terms of discipline, culture, and theoretical lens effectively, adhere to credibility criteria and utilize opportunities for diverse data collection methods.

Plain Language Summary

Occupational Therapists’ Use of Interpretative Description: A Scoping Review

Interpretive description is a qualitative research methodology developed by Thorne et al. (1997). Interpretive description seeks to generate empirical knowledge that develops in-depth and contextual understandings about people that are directly applicable to practice. Basic principles of interpretive description include the importance of reflexivity and how the researcher will influence the research, and keeping the disciplinary position front of mind so that findings can directly influence practice. Reporting of authors’ positionality in relation to their discipline, culture and theoretical stance is therefore important.

This scoping review mapped 42 published studies that had used interpretive description to address occupational therapy research questions. Use of interpretive description in occupational therapy research was found to have steadily increased over the last decade, and the findings of these studies effectively informed practitioners, services, educators, and policy makers. Authors’ reporting of their theoretical positioning was restricted, limiting the reader’s understanding of how this might have influenced the research. Occupational therapy researchers are therefore encouraged to maintain methodological rigor when using interpretive description. This will ensure optimal impact of the research to advance knowledge and practice within the discipline of occupational therapy.