Evaluate the Role of the Occupational Therapist in Supporting Mental Health Service Users Through Occupation-Bases Interventions and Outcome Measurement Drawing Illustrative Examples from the Group Work Case Studies.

Evaluate the role of the occupational therapist in supporting mental health service users through occupation-bases interventions and outcome measurement drawing illustrative examples from the group work case studies.

This assignment will evaluate the role of the occupational therapist in supporting mental health service users.   Firstly it will briefly describe the key aspects of the role.   Secondly it will draw on illustrative examples of interventions from three case studies, considering the role of the occupational therapist in relation to these.   Finally, it will then discuss the use of outcome measure to evaluate the effectiveness of each intervention.

For the purpose of this assignment pseudonym names have been used in all three case studies.   There are three key aspects of role of the occupational therapist in mental health services: To promote independent living skills, to offer therapeutic activity sessions and to support positive lifestyle change through occupation.   In order to carry out each intervention, the occupational therapist must first establish a therapeutic relationship with the service user.   This relationship would initially develop through the assessment and intervention planning stage.   This would be done by spending time with the service user, listening to them and involving them in the decision making process. (Crepeau et al   2008). Although this is not discussed in detail in this assignment a therapeutic relationship was developed before carrying out each intervention

The role of the occupational therapist in promotion of independent living skills focuses on the service users acquirement or re-acquirement of skills that promote mental health and wellbeing.   The occupational therapist role in this is as a mediator, enable, guide and teacher (Creek 2008).   Teaching techniques are utilised to structure and organise the leaning experience, the focus being on the functional consequences of the illness rather then the illness itself... [continues]

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