title: Life histories in occupational therapy clinical practice.
abstract: This article defines and compares several narrative methods used to describe and interpret patients' lives. The biographical methods presented are case histories, life-charts, life histories, life stories, assisted autobiography, hermeneutic case reconstruction, therapeutic employment, volitional narratives, and occupational storytelling and story making. Emphasis is placed the clinician as a collaborator and interpreter of the patient's life through ongoing interactions and dialogue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90033, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods*; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*