Using the Self‐Discovery Tapestry to Explore Occupational Careers

Abstract

Occupational careers, the multiple paths that individuals pursue throughout their lives, offer fertile ground for research in occupational science. A life‐review instrument designed to record adults’ occupational careers, called the Self‐Discovery Tapestry, was developed by applying gerontology‐based lifespan theories to occupational science concepts. This article presents research into the ways mature women who had recently enrolled in higher education utilized the Tapestry to gain insights into their life‐altering transitional events and adaptive coping styles. The Tapestry encompasses interpersonal relationships, occupation, personal and family health and finance, and self‐evaluation against which individuals record their life histories and occupational careers. A case study is presented to illustrate how using the Tapestry assists individuals and professionals apply the concepts of occupational career development over the life span. Possible uses of the Tapestry in the practice of occupational science and in research are presented.