Pediatric Mental Health Treatment and Confidence through the Lens of the School Based Occupational Therapist’s Role

Stefanie Seanor,Sunddip Panesar-Aguilar,Michelle M Mccraney,Patricia Tobin

doi:10.22158/grhe.v5n1p1

Abstract

Given the rise in mental health needs in children and adolescents and the historical roots of occupational therapy in psychiatry, occupational therapists may be well-equipped and well-suited to offer expert contributions on school-based mental health teams. Occupation-based assessments and interventions for schoolchildren with mental health conditions are essential but are often overlooked because occupational therapy is traditionally solicited to support children with physical health concerns. The research problem for this study was that it was unclear how school-based occupational therapists perceive pediatric mental health treatment preparedness and confidence. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore school-based occupational therapists’ perceptions of their preparedness and confidence to offer pediatric mental health treatment. Semistructured interviews were conducted through video conferencing. Self-efficacy and adult learning theories were used as guiding frameworks. Results of thematic analysis exposed five themes: the importance of university and fieldwork education; professional self-directness and intrinsic motivation; readiness to learn and role clarity; collaboration and communication; and advocacy. These findings have significant implications for occupational therapy students as well as their educators and employers.

Highlights

Occupational therapy practitioners support individuals’ successful and independent completion of daily tasks and participation in meaningful activities (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2016)
Investigating perceptions of school-based occupational therapists on their pediatric mental health treatment preparedness and confidence provided valuable information to contribute to the literature
This investigation and analysis contributed to the research literature regarding perceptions of occupational therapists on their pediatric mental health treatment preparedness and confidence in the provision of effective interventions

Summary

Introduction

Occupational therapy practitioners support individuals’ successful and independent completion of daily tasks and participation in meaningful activities (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2016). With the education and knowledge needed to address stress management, symptoms of anxiety, emotional regulation, and social skills within the school environment, occupational therapists can work in partnership with the school staff as a part of an interprofessional mental health team to implement occupation-based interventions and programmatic changes and to address children’s mental health needs (Ball, 2018). This collaboration with school-based professionals may enhance all students’ ability to succeed (Bolton & Plattner, 2020). Whereas the evidence supports comprehensive and interprofessional teamwork, individual professional and profession-based values and beliefs affect occupational therapists’ practice and their performance on a team (Drolet & Désormeaux-Moreau, 2016)

Methods

Results

Conclusion