The Occupational Experience Profile (OEP)
What It Measures
The Occupational Experience Profile (OEP) is a time-use diary that helps someone notice how their daily activities actually make them feel. Over a 24-hour period, the person records what they did, when, where, and with whom, then rates each activity for how enjoyable, productive, energizing, and socially connecting it felt. This helps build a picture of daily life beyond just "what got done."
Developed by Karen Atler at Colorado State University (as an update to her earlier Pleasure, Productivity, and Restoration Profile), the OEP produces four scale scores for each recorded activity across the day: pleasure, productivity, restoration, and social connection. Occupational therapists use it with adults in mental health settings, including inpatient psychiatric and community-based care, to help clients reflect on the relationship between their daily occupations and overall wellbeing, often as a tool for occupation-based self-reflection rather than diagnosis.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
The OEP is a purchasable assessment kit sold through the OT Storefront at Colorado State University
This assessment requires clients to complete a 24 hour time log.