Effectiveness study of “occupational connections” – A short-term, in-patient intervention for promotion functioning and participation in daily life of people with mental health conditions

Objectives Mental health conditions (MHC) have been associated with restrictions in daily life participation and functioning affecting health and well-being. Substantial numbers of people with MHC experience hospitalizations, however, there is limited evidence supporting functional interventions in the in-patient setting to promote recovery. The OC is an intervention implemented during sub-acute hospitalization, which attempts to promote activity and participation of people with MHC, both during the in-patient stay and upon return to the community, with a view to enabling recovery. To facilitate its implementation, we investigate the OC effectiveness. Aims Investigate the OC contribution to cognition, symptoms and functional capacity among inpatients with schizophrenia. Methods This is a quasi-experimental, prospective, pre/post-designed study with convenience sampling. Inpatients with schizophrenia were enrolled into the study group participating in the OC intervention ( n  = 16); or the control group participating in hospital treatment as usual ( n  = 17). The study participants completed evaluations at baseline and at discharge or after 10 weeks with: Neurocognitive State Examination, Trail Making Test, Ray Complex Figure, and Category Fluency Test for aspects of cognition; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for symptoms severity, and Observed Tasks of Daily Living-Revised for functional capacity. Results Statistically significant improvement in cognitive functioning, symptoms severity and functional capacity was found in the study group after the intervention. These changes were not observed in the control group. Conclusion The results support the OC effectiveness for cognitive and functional capacity improvement and symptomology relief. The findings advance the body of evidence for functional interventions in hospital settings.