Use of Visual Research Methods in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review Protocol

Objective: The objective of this systematic scoping review is to summarize the literature on visual research methods (VRMs) within occupational therapy (OT) and occupational science (OS) and critically analyse the use of VRMs within these fields.
Introduction: In OT and OS, the use of VRMs has become more popular since 2010. However, it remains relatively sparsely used despite its potential to include new groups of informants that might be more comfortable using visual materials as opposed to verbal communication and promoting a participatory approach to occupation-focused research.
Inclusion criteria: The review will include peer-reviewed studies of all age groups and ability levels that pertain to OS and OT and in which a type of VRMs is explicitly mentioned as a research method and includes some description of the method itself.
Methods: A framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley will be followed. Literature will be searched in PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL with a combination of keywords referring to the three main concepts: visual research methods, occupational therapy and occupational science. Search will be limited to literature in English, German and French, and to publications published from 1998 onwards. Grey literature will not be included.