Occupational Value and Associated Factors among People Attending Psychiatric Day Centres

Abstract

Everybody needs something valuable and meaningful to do, and many western people with psychiatric disabilities can attend day centres to satisfy such needs. Further knowledge about occupational value as a phenomenon would add to the knowledge base of occupational science, which was the rationale for this study. More specifically, the aim was to investigate how day centre attendees rated their perceptions of occupational value, in terms of concrete, symbolic and self-reward value, and how these occupational value dimensions were associated with factors of potential importance for this phenomenon. Ninety-three participants were assessed by self-report questionnaires regarding perceived occupational value and factors pertaining to the self, well-being and clinical and socio-demographic data. Inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Findings showed that self-related variables and depression were related to all three value dimensions. Depressive symptoms and self-mastery together explained 22% of the variation in concrete value. Self-esteem alone explained 13% of the variance in symbolic value and self-mastery accounted for 10% of the variation in self-reward value. Enhancing attendees' self-mastery and self-esteem and awareness of depressive symptoms appears to be important for promoting perceptions of occupational value, suggesting an individualised approach in the day centre services.

Keywords:

• Daily life
• Mental health
• Mastery
• Recovery
• Self esteem