Exploring the occupational experiences of individuals with mental health conditions living in the community
Date
2018
Authors
Studee, Jade Elizabeth, author
Atler, Karen, advisor
Hooper, Barbara, committee member
Hughes, Shannon, committee member
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Abstract
Background. One way to help meet the needs of individuals with mental health conditions in the recovery process is through supporting participation in meaningful and purposeful activity (SAMHSA, 2018; WHO, 2018). Previous researchers have explored how individuals with mental health conditions spend their time and experience meaning within their recovery process, however little is known about how individuals experience their activities within the context of their actual time use. Objective. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences associated with the everyday activities of individuals with mental health conditions. The research questions were: 1) what are individuals with mental health conditions' experiences of pleasure, productivity, and restoration within the context of their daily activities and 2) what factors influence individuals with mental health conditions' experiences associated with their daily activities. Methods. Nine individuals who attended a community-based behavioral health center volunteered to participate in this study. Participants used the Pleasure, Productivity, and Restoration Profile to capture the subjective experiences they had within the context of their daily activities. The researcher then conducted interviews with the participants to discuss their experiences within their daily activities and create a plan to support their engagement in the activities that they associated with their desired experiences of pleasure, productivity, and restoration. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the researcher transcribed and coded the interviews and then analyzed the codes for themes within and across participants. Results. Three themes emerged for each research question through participant PPR Profiles and interviews that reflected how participants described their experiences of pleasure, productivity, and restoration within the context of their everyday activities. Productivity was associated with getting things done that "I need to do," pleasure was associated with enjoying activities that "I want to do," and restoration associated with feeling energized by caring for myself. Person and contextual factors, experiences carry over, and routine were the three themes that answered the second research question exploring what factors influenced participants' experiences associated with their activities. Conclusion. Exploring individuals with mental health conditions' experiences within their daily activities provides insight into how pleasure, productivity, and restoration are experienced by the individual and the dynamic factors which influence these experiences. These findings emphasize the need for occupational therapy professionals to facilitate participation in activities that evoke experiences of pleasure, productivity, and restoration, which contribute to a sense of meaning and purpose as necessary for supporting the recovery process for individuals with mental health conditions.
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Subject
community
mental health
occupational therapy
experiences
behavioral health
occupational science