Occupational evaluation of community-based psychiatric rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with severe mental illnesses: A ten-year retrospective study

Abstract

There is a lack of research on the effect of community-based psychiatric rehabilitation programs (CBPRs) in individuals with severe mental illness. This research used data from a retrospective study to examine the effect of a CBPR in a community rehabilitation center. Clinical outcomes measures from a retrospective study were collected. Outcome measures were the Allen Cognitive Level Screen assessment, Purdue Pegboard Test, Chu's Attention Test, and Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale-III (ADLRS-III) before and immediately after 12 months of intervention. The 141 participants with mental illness were an average age of 35.29 years (SD = 8.75). The retrospective review of medical records showed 46 people dropped out within 12 months, and 95 people continued to participate in the rehabilitation program for 1 year. After 1 year of community rehabilitation, there was a trend for the participants who completed the intervention to improve on the ADLRS-III, Purdue Pegboard Test, and Chu's Attention Test. Participants who performed better on the occupational assessment were more likely to transit to the employment status. This study found the benefits of CBPR in work-related intervention for people with mental illness. Occupational assessments are relevant for studying changes in functional outcomes in people with mental illness receiving community-based rehabilitation.