B R I T TA N Y C O M B S , O T S

J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

Effective Occupation Based Mental Health Interventions for

Adults

ASOT 2015 Vision and Action Conference

Focus Question

What is the effectiveness of occupation based activities to improve psychosocial function in adults with mental

illness?

What Works??

Occupational Time Use Intervention

Life Skills Intervention

Stress Management Program

Art Based Occupation Groups

What works??

High Intensity Sports

Life Writing Intervention

Working with Larger Object Sizes

Clinical Themes

Therapeutic use of self allowed me to build therapeutic relationships with the patients

Patient Trust

Gives the patients something to look forward to and new goals to set

Patients know that you care!!

Clinical Application

Participation in occupations improves psychosocial wellness of individuals with mental illness

Functional Activities

Community Reintegration

Social Participation

Fieldwork Experience

Roles, Routines, and Habits25%

Occupation Based Interventions

25%

Meaningful Activi-ties25%

Sensory Based In-terventions

25%

Fieldwork Experience

Group Based In-terventions

25%

Community Activ-ities25%

Therapeutic Use of Self50%

References

Chippendale, T., & Bear-Lehman, J. (2012). Effect of life review writing on depressive symptoms in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of

Occupational Therapy, 66, 438–446. doi.org/10.5014/ ajot.2012.004291

Edgelow, M., & Krupa, T. (2011). Randomized controlled pilot study of an occupational

time-use intervention for people with serious mental illness. American Journal of

Occupational Therapy, 65, 267–276. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2011.001313

Helfrich, C. A., Chan, D. V., & Sabol, P. (2011). Cognitive predictors of life skill intervention

outcomes for adults with mental illness at risk for homelessness. American Journal of

Occupational Therapy,65, 277–286. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2011.001321

Lee, H.-L., Tan, H. K.-L., Ma, H.-I., Tsai, C.-Y., & Liu, Y.-K. (2006). Effectiveness of a work-

related stress management pro-gram in patients with chronic schizophrenia. American

Journal of Occupational Therapy, 60, 435–441. doi: 10.5014/ajot.60.4.435

References

Mouradian, L. E., DeGrace, B. W., & Thompson, D. M. (2013). Art-based occupation group reduces parent anxiety in the NICU: A mixed-methods study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67,692–700. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2013.007682

Rogers, C. M., Mallinson, T., & Peppers, D. (2014). High-Intensity sports for posttraumatic stress disorder and

depression: Feasibility study of ocean therapy with veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 395–404.

doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.011221

Wang, S.-M., Kuo, L.-C., Ouyang, W.-C., Hsu, H.-M., Lin, K.-C., & Ma, H.-I. (2014). Effects of

object size on unimanual and bimanual movements in patients with schizophrenia. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 230–238. doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.009811

Questions