The Literature of Occupational Science: A Systematic, Quantitative Examination of Peer-Reviewed Publications from 1996-2006

Few works have used a systematic approach to examine the formal body of knowledge of occupational science. This article reports the findings of a quantitative analysis of 244 overtly labeled occupational science articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 1996 and 2006. The sample was obtained through searches of four publication databases and results were statistically analyzed for association of publication-related variables with time. The overall number of articles, proportion of empirical studies, use of qualitative only methodology, studies with participants with no noted disability, and notation of federal funding all significantly increased over the 11-year study interval. Significant association was also found between article publication in the Journal of Occupational Science and interdisciplinary authorship. The implications of results are discussed in terms of the growth of the field's body of knowledge, characteristics of the research base, funding considerations, and interdisciplinarity.