What Are the Most Effective Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adults with Severe Mental Illness?

What you need to know

• Psychosocial interventions were found to be the most widely used occupational therapy approach for severe mental illness
• Group interventions lasting 3-6 months with 2-3 weekly sessions were most common
• Most studies showed improvements in social functioning, cognitive abilities, and symptoms

Understanding the Role of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health

Living with severe mental illness (SMI) can make everyday activities extremely challenging. Simple tasks that many take for granted - like maintaining a daily routine, socializing with others, or holding down a job - can feel overwhelming. This is where occupational therapy comes in. Occupational therapists help people develop practical skills and strategies to participate more fully in meaningful daily activities, despite their mental health challenges.

Types of Interventions

The review found four main types of occupational therapy interventions used for people with SMI:

Psychosocial interventions were the most common, focusing on helping people develop social skills and engage in community activities. These included things like group activities, social skills training, and community integration programs.

Psychoeducational interventions taught people about their condition and provided strategies for managing symptoms and daily challenges. This often included learning about medications, identifying early warning signs, and developing coping skills.

Cognitive interventions targeted improvements in memory, attention, planning and other thinking skills that are often affected by mental illness.

Exercise interventions used physical activity to improve both mental and physical health outcomes.

What Makes These Interventions Effective

The most successful programs shared several key characteristics:

• Group-based format that provided peer support
• Regular sessions (typically 2-3 times per week)
• Moderate duration (3-6 months)
• Led by multidisciplinary teams including occupational therapists
• Focus on practical, real-world skills
• Progressive difficulty level as participants improved

Evidence of Impact

The research showed these interventions led to meaningful improvements in several areas:

• Better social functioning and community participation
• Enhanced cognitive abilities like memory and planning
• Reduced psychiatric symptoms
• Improved ability to perform daily activities
• Greater independence and quality of life

However, the review noted that more research is still needed to determine the optimal “dose” of therapy and long-term effectiveness.

What This Means for You

If you or a loved one is living with severe mental illness, occupational therapy can be a valuable part of the treatment plan. Here are some key takeaways:

• Look for programs that combine different approaches (psychosocial, educational, cognitive)
• Group-based interventions often provide both skill development and peer support
• Regular participation over several months is important for seeing benefits
• Work with your healthcare team to find the right combination of treatments
• Set practical goals focused on daily activities that matter to you

Conclusions

• Occupational therapy is an evidence-based treatment that can help people with severe mental illness improve their daily functioning and quality of life
• Group-based psychosocial interventions delivered 2-3 times weekly for 3-6 months appear most effective
• A combination of approaches targeting social skills, education, cognition and physical activity may provide the most benefit