The meaning and form of occupational therapy as experienced by women with psychoses: a phenomenological study The aim of this study was to illuminate the experiences of occupational therapy interventions in individuals with psychoses. Repeated tape-recorded narrative interviews were conducted with six women participating in occupational therapy immediately after an intervention. The subsequent analyses followed a phenomenological approach. Key constituents integrated in two structures, are the main findings. The meaning of occupational therapy as expressed in the key constituents relief, self-knowledge, belief in the future, capability, resistance and satisfaction formed one structure. The form of occupational therapy as expressed in the key constituents time, environment, guidance, voluntariness and collaboration represented the other structure. These findings confirm and give empirical support to beliefs and assumptions expressed in occupational therapy literature. The results form a conceptual base for developing an evaluative assessment instrument for individuals with psychoses participating in occupational therapy.