Personal projects: a useful approach to the study of occupation.

A comprehensive and useful understanding of human occupation requires research methods that capture its individual dimensions while permitting analyses within and across groups. In this article we describe the construct of personal projects and the research method of personal projects analysis. Both have their origins in studies of personality and have been used successfully to link individual traits and context-based, goal-directed behavior to well-being and other variables. The appropriateness and relevance of this approach for studies of occupation and occupational therapy are considered.