A systematic review and narrative synthesis of occupational therapy-led interventions for individuals with anxiety and stress-related disorders

Abstract

Anxiety and stress-related disorders are highly prevalent and impede participation in life activities. Occupational therapists work extensively with people diagnosed with these disorders but the effectiveness of their interventions is unclear. A systematic search strategy identified 19 papers describing 13 studies. Studies varied in methodology, intervention type, and theory base. The results show the potential for lifestyle approaches, occupational science-based programs, and skill-building to improve mental health. The variety of interventions and methodologies of many studies means that the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for this population is not yet determined. High-quality research is required to replicate interventions with emerging potential for effectiveness.

Keywords:

• Occupational therapy
• anxiety disorders
• psychological stress
• psychosocial rehabilitation
• systematic review

Declaration

An early version of these results was presented as an academic poster presentation at the International Society for Affective Disorders conference in London in 2017 and a published abstract is available (Fox, Erlandsson, & Shiel, 2017). This written article presents the most up-to-date version of this systematic review.