Outcome of Occupational Therapy in a Psychiatric Day Care Unit for Long-Term Mentally Ill Patients

ABSTRACT

Twenty patients, receiving group based psychiatric outpatient occupational therapy, were assessed at admission and discharge regarding psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90-R), global mental health (HSRS), quality of life (SQoL), and occupational performance (AOF). The patients were in treatment from 4 to 30 months. There were statistically significant improvements from admission to discharge on all variables except quality of life. Thirteen of the patients were judged as showing clinically significant improvement and exhibiting normal functioning at discharge. On the basis of medical records the outcome of the occupational therapy group was compared with a matched group of 20 patients receiving treatment-as-usual, which implied verbal therapy weekly or less frequently. The occupational therapy group improved significantly more on the Global Assessment Scale but did not improve more on scores for the Strauss-Carpenter criteria.