A scoping review of occupational therapy interventions in the treatment of people with substance use disorders

Abstract

Purpose Diagnosis of substance use disorders and addictive behaviours are growing worldwide. It is timely to examine and collate literature on the nature of occupational therapy intervention in this field, to increase understanding of current practice and inform future directions. The purpose of this paper is to source and synthesise literature on occupational therapy interventions used in the treatment of people experiencing addiction. Design/methodology/approach Four databases were searched in August 2019. A total of 597 titles were screened, and 18 studies with varying methods met inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of the included literature was arranged into themes to summarise key findings. Findings Findings were grouped into three themes about occupational therapy provision to people experiencing addiction: single occupation focused intervention; skills training (including sub-themes on daily living skills and vocational skills); and establishing a community-based sober routine. Research limitations/implications Further research on this topic should focus on efficacy of treatments and build on current findings to develop more rigorous research with appropriate sample sizes to support evidence-based practice. Originality/value This study presents a synthesis of how occupational therapy interventions have been used to treat people experiencing addiction issues. Findings indicate occupational therapy appears to fit well within addiction treatment and assert that occupational therapy is most supportive when interventions go beyond the teaching of skills alone to prioritise occupational engagement and client centred practice.

Enablers and inhibitors to quality of life as experienced by substance abusers discharged from a rehabilitation centre in Gauteng, South Africa

“…The intervention is therefore important in changing the habits and routines of clients' lifestyles to maintain and restore roles they lost because of substance use 12 . Ryan and Boland 13 support the understanding that occupational therapy is well-positioned to treat substance users and is most effective and supportive when going beyond teaching of skill to prioritise occupational engagement and client-centered practice.…”

Perceptions and Knowledge Around Substance Use Disorders and the Role of Occupational Therapy: A Survey of Clinicians

“…Research indicates that individuals with SUDs should receive interdisciplinary care, including occupational therapy, that is prepared to treat the multi-faceted and complicated nature of SUDs. 9 , 10 In occupational therapy, SUDs are most often treated as a co-occurring disorder, leading to a focus primarily on referral for physical, psychological, or social problems secondary to the misuse of substances. 11 Today’s best practice indicates that to properly treat these clients, occupational therapists need to understand current evidence-based practice within their scope and understand and implement a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Model.…”

“… 12 , 13 Unfortunately, in the profession, there is also limited up-to-date research and practice in this area. In Amorelli’s 9 narrative review on occupational therapy interventions for SUDs, only 10 articles met the criteria for further analysis and in Ryan and Boland’s 10 scoping review, an additional 8 were identified. Additionally, occupational therapists are not assessing for SUDs frequently, despite the profession’s ability to be instrumental in the earlier detection and treatment of the disorder.…”

“… 15 , 16 In their research, Peloquin and Ciro 17 found that women who participated in various themed and meaningful occupational treatment groups perceived their treatment as an important and satisfactory component of their recovery. In their scoping review, Ryan and Boland 10 found that occupational therapy is well-situated to practice SUDs treatment and remains an essential, supportive part of the treatment team. In order to provide this level of care, practitioners need more skilled training and education to reduce the barriers that surround treating individuals with SUDs.…”

Editorial: Encouraging diversification of research methods to bridge the occupational therapy evidence-practice gap

“…As I review through the five articles for this edition, it strikes me how our profession has embraced a mix of methods to address gaps in knowledge and/or practise relevant to occupational therapy. Firstly, Yoo (2023) effectively applies scoping review methodology to map the evidence on sleep interventions in mental health, a great example of this popular form of review structure being used to explore an area of clinical relevance to occupational therapy. Examples of cross-sectional survey work include illuminating about student knowledge and attitudes towards older adults with dementia (Gavin et al , 2023), as well as investigating which outcome measures are used by occupational therapy staff in adult social care settings in the UK (Davenport and Underhill, 2023), who interestingly using social media as primary way of recruiting participants.…”