Forensic Occupational Therapy Research Articles

Forensic occupational therapy to reduce risk of reoffending: a survey of practice in the United Kingdom

Forensic services are required to reduce an individual’s risk of reoffending. Despite being integral to forensic mental health services, the contribution of forensic occupational therapy to achieving this aim is unclear. This study describes current forensic occupational therapy practice to reduce reoffending risk in the United Kingdom. Responses to a cross-sectional survey consisting of multiple choice and free-text questions were analysed using frequency counts and percentages, and thematic analysis respectively. Of the 58 participants, 83% actively addressed reoffending risk. Participants informed practice with occupation-focused theories, models and assessment tools. Five themes described forensic occupational therapy to reduce reoffending risk: an occupational perspective of risk assessment and formulation; volitional realignment; increasing protective factors; community integration; and enhancing understanding of forensic occupational therapy. Forensic occupational therapists perceive their practice to contribute to reducing reoffending risk, but are yet to establish routine outcome measurement in this area. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Forensic Occupational Therapy in Canada: The Current State of Practice.

Although occupational therapists have been practicing in forensic settings for many years, there is a paucity of literature regarding the nature of this practice in Canada. The purpose of this study was to describe the practices of Canadian occupational therapists in forensic mental health. An online survey was designed based on the Canadian Practice Process Framework. Following purposive and snowball sampling, responses were analysed with descriptive statistics and content analysis. Twenty-seven clinicians responded (56% response rate). Respondents indicated commonalities in workplaces, client caseloads and practice challenges. The outstanding need in Canada to demonstrate client outcomes through the use of evaluation instruments reflects those practice gaps identified internationally. Education, advocacy and research are critical areas for the development of Canadian forensic occupational therapy. Although findings heavily reflect one provincial context and may not be generalizable to nonhospital settings, a number of priority areas were identified. Future efforts should clarify the role of forensic occupational therapy to stakeholders, and validate their contributions through research that evaluates intervention efficacy and meaningful outcomes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Occupational therapy in forensic psychiatry: Recent developments in our understandings (2007–2013)

Introduction Occupational therapy in forensic settings has developed in recent decades, leading to an increasing amount of research being conducted in this field. There have been two previous attempts to provide overviews of this body of evidence and future directions for research; however, the rate of research has accelerated in recent years. This critical review addresses the following question: what evidence has been published about occupational therapy in forensic psychiatry over the past 7 years? Method A mixed methods approach was adopted, with four databases and a search engine consulted (OTDBase, CINAHL, AMED, PSYCHInfo, Google Scholar). The inclusion criteria were: (a) articles published in peer reviewed journals since 2007 and (b) authored by at least one occupational therapist. Twenty-five studies were identified for review, and the four dimensions of occupation – doing, being, becoming and belonging – were used to provide a theoretical context for the subsequent discussion. Findings The recent evidence base in forensic psychiatry focuses on doing and being, with fewer articles addressing becoming and belonging. Conclusion This review has identified increasing numbers of studies about forensic occupational therapy, which may reflect growth in both interest and the worldwide workforce.

Investigating the purpose of an online discussion group for health professionals: a case example from forensic occupational therapy

BackgroundThousands of health-related online discussion groups are active world-wide however, very little is known about the purpose and usefulness of such groups. In 2003 an online discussion group called ‘forensic occupational therapy’ was established in the United Kingdom. This group was examined to gain an understanding of the purpose and use of online discussion groups for health professionals who may be practically and geographically isolated from others in similar areas of practice.MethodsFollowing a case study design, descriptive characteristics on members’ locations and number of posts were collected from the forensic occupational therapy online discussion group. Eight years of posts (2003–2011) were examined using a theoretical thematic analysis process to identify and describe the purposes for which members were using the group.ResultsMembers from 20 countries contributed to the discussion group; the vast majority of posts being from members in the United Kingdom. Activity within the group was consistently high for the first five years however, activity within the group declined in the final three years. Six purposes for which members use the online discussion group were identified: seeking and giving advice, networking, requesting and sharing material resources, service development, defining the role of occupational therapists, and student learning.ConclusionsFindings suggest that health professionals in specialized and often isolated areas of practice are keen to connect with colleagues and learn from each other’s experiences. The main purposes for which the online discussion group was used could be summarized as communication, information sharing and networking; though activity within the group declined significantly during the last three years of the data collection period. This raises questions about the sustainability of online discussion groups within the rapidly developing social media environment.

Occupational Therapy Risk Assessment in Forensic Mental Health Practice: An Exploration

Forensic occupational therapists are one of the members of the multidisciplinary team who participate in the risk assessment process. However, the forensic occupational therapy risk assessment literature is largely descriptive and experience based, with little empirical research. This study investigated forensic occupational therapists' ideas about risk assessment and what risks they assess. A qualitative approach, using three focus groups of therapists working in different forensic settings, provided the data. The analysis of the data found that four themes emerged: risk perceptions and interpretations, fundamental information, risk behaviours and occupations, and environments. These themes support a number of aspects of risk assessment in the forensic occupational therapy literature and could be categorised under the components of the person, the environment and occupational performance and participation. There was, however, limited evidence in the literature and in this study about the risks associated with occupations and about client-centred approaches to risk assessment. Further research of these aspects, and a comparison between forensic occupational therapy risk assessment and multidisciplinary risk assessment, is recommended.

Welchen Beitrag kann die Ergotherapie zum Auftrag der forensischen Psychiatrie leisten?

Einleitung: Innerhalb der forensischen Wissenschaft findet Ergotherapie wenig Beachtung, und auch in der ergotherapeutischen Forschung und Lehre ist das forensische Fachbegebiet selten Gegenstandsbereich. Dennoch hat die ergotherapeutische Behandlung einen festen Stellenwert im stetig wachsenden Bereich des Maßregelvollzugs. In diesem Artikel sollen kriminalprognostische Aussagen als forensischer Auftrag hervorgehoben werden. Der ergotherapeutische Beitrag wird über den Schwerpunkt der Handlung der Patienten im klinischen Kontext bestimmt.

Research Priorities in Forensic Occupational Therapy

National research priorities have been developed and published by the College of Occupational Therapists (Ilott and White 2001). Such an exercise, however, cannot provide the specific research priorities of a particular area of practice. A questionnaire survey was undertaken to ascertain the specific research priorities of forensic occupational therapists. The survey had three parts: determining research priorities, examining outcome measures and exploring the use of protocol-driven group work. Three specific research priorities were clearly defined by part one of the survey: the development of appropriate outcome measures, the development of rigorous and effective group-work programmes and the development of effective risk assessment tools. The nominal group technique was used in order to triangulate the data. The survey also examined the participants' use of outcome measures: a high number of the participants (62%, 44/71) stated that they used outcome measures in practice. The participants' responses to the third aspect of the survey, regarding the use of protocol-driven groups, were more varied. The majority of the groups reported by the participants were ‘home grown’, with little research base underpinning their implementation. The methodological weaknesses of undertaking such a survey are examined. The paper concludes that having identified clinicians' priorities in forensic occupational therapy research, the challenge is how best to gather robust evidence for practice.

Forensic occupational therapy for people with learning disabilities

To date, there has been relatively little literature published on the role of the occupational therapist working in secure units for people with learning disabilities. It may be perceived that the role of occupational therapy is not that dissimilar from that in open settings, but particular aspects of the work will be different because of the constraints of the environment and legal requirements of patients detained under the Mental Health Act.

Forensic occupational therapy: is it a developing specialism?

Occupational therapists work in various specialisms within the field of mental health. Forensic psychiatry is one which is rapidly developing. Any occupational therapist wishing to work in this specialism would probably wish to know what they were ‘in for’. Media images of mentally ill criminals have shaped public attitudes and have hidden the realities about how interesting forensic psychiatric work can be.

Forensic occupational therapy in Malta: A historical overview

As occupational therapy services increase in established as well as in new areas in Malta, the growing need for an expansion in OT forensic provision becomes more evident. This article looks at present forensic provisions and occupational therapy involvement.

Evaluation and Forensic Psychiatric Occupational Therapy

The process of evaluation/treatment provides the basis for analysing the problem, formulating objectives to reduce deficits and outlining a treatment plan to develop specific skills. The way in which the process of evaluation is currently being used to provide an effective occupational therapy programme in a forensic psychiatric setting is described.

Forensic Psychiatry and Occupational Therapy

At the Alberta Hospital Edmonton, one ward employs social learning as the major mode of treatment of character disorders. To meet the demands of working in a therapeutic community all disciplines have had to extend their traditional roles. Occupational therapy role extension has been in the area of assessment and goal planning. This article discusses the occupational therapist's involvement in the forensic psychiatric unit.