Occupation-as-Means to Mental Health: A Review of the Literature, and a Call for Research

Occupational therapy is a profession which is based upon many beliefs about occupation. One belief is that engagement in occupation can promote physical and mental health. This belief appears to support the profession's jurisdictional claim to the use and application of occupation in psychosocial practice. A review of the psychosocial occupational therapy literature yielded few empirical studies which addressed the use of occupation-as-means to mental health. A discrepancy exists between what the profession theoretically advances about occupation and the research conducted in this area. This discrepancy is highlighted as a possible explanation for the lack of recognition of the value of occupational therapy in mental health and is forwarded as a potential risk to the profession's jurisdictional claim to the use and application of occupation. A call to research is advanced to develop a knowledge base on occupation, to empirically support the use of occupation as therapy, and to secure a unique role for occupational therapy in psychosocial practice.