Do Occupational Therapists Feel Equipped to Deal with the Adult Legacy of Childhood Sexual Abuse?

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Abrahamson
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Client Group ◽  
Research Findings

Research findings are consistent in showing a strong, specific and coherent association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and long-term psychiatric problems. Occupational therapists working in mental health services must therefore have contact with survivors of abuse, yet the literature reveals a paucity of research on their role. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine occupational therapists to explore their knowledge and practice concerning this issue. All respondents considered that awareness of CSA was pertinent to their profession and should be taught during education and training. None of them had received teaching in this area. Most respondents thought that it was not their role to deal with CSA in depth. However, the context in which they worked provided an opportunity for initial disclosure which might not happen elsewhere and needed to be handled skilfully. Occupational therapy techniques, including creative methods, link in well with other approaches, especially counselling, in treating the long-term effects of CSA. Continuing educational requirements and the role of occupational therapy with this client group need to be addressed by the profession.

Family characteristics and long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suchitra Bhandari ◽  
David Winter ◽  
David Messer ◽  
Chris Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Family Characteristics ◽  
Long Term Effects

How do Clients with Learning Disabilities Evaluate their Experience of Cooking with the Occupational Therapist?

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 106-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Melton
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Client Group ◽  
Vital Element ◽  
Individualised Treatment

This research study set out to establish the views of five clients with mild learning disabilities. Qualitative methodology was employed, with particular focus given to occupational therapy and the activity of cooking. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the clients' own environment. Following analysis, the data revealed that clients have powerful individual views regarding the meaning of cooking. The individual's role and routine in this activity was seen to vary greatly. The occupational therapists were perceived as being sensitive to individual circumstances and assistive in developing clients' skills and confidence in the tasks. The empowering style used by the occupational therapists was highlighted as an important element in the clients' development of control over the activity. The therapists were perceived as having a number of different roles according to the stage of intervention, including supporter, teacher and facilitator. A respectful attitude towards the client was determined as being a vital element of the therapy. The study concludes that occupational therapy is valuable for teaching skills to and empowering clients with mild learning disabilities. The recommendations suggest that individualised treatment programmes are required for successful intervention. Furthermore, subsequent research into the meaning of other occupations to clients with learning disabilities would provide greater understanding of the needs of this client group in relation to occupational therapy.

The Educational Needs of Occupational Therapists Who Work with Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynda Foulder-Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Adult Survivors ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Mental Health Settings ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
And Training

This study aimed to examine the education and training needs of occupational therapists who work with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Two sample groups were used: occupational therapy pre-registration courses and occupational therapists working in mental health settings. Two postal surveys were designed in order to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data. Seventeen courses and 43 occupational therapists responded from around the United Kingdom. The results indicated that although most of the occupational therapy courses offered some form of education around CSA issues, this had been available for a relatively short period of time (generally for less than 5 years). However, the majority of occupational therapists who responded were senior staff with more than 5 years' clinical experience who had not received such education as students. Consequently, the education offered differed greatly from that of 5 years ago. All the occupational therapists felt that their current level of knowledge could be improved. Recommendations regarding prospective educational requirements and further research are made.

scholarly journals Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse

1999 ◽  
Vol 187 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALFRED LANGE ◽  
EDWIN DE BEURS ◽  
CONOR DOLAN ◽  
TANJA LACHNIT ◽  
SANDRA SJOLLEMA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Long Term Effects

scholarly journals Employment and the Post-Release Puzzle: The Lived Experience of Securing Legitimate Work among Women Released from Prison in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jasmin Kale
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Criminal History ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Barriers To Employment ◽  
Research Findings

<p>As incarceration rates continue to rise in New Zealand (The Department of Corrections, 2019b), the number of people being released from prison will also rise. Life sentences are rare and therefore, the majority of people who are sent to prison will, at some point, be released to reside in the community again. Despite this, individuals are leaving prison unprepared for life on the outside, and they face a range of barriers as they try to establish new lives for themselves in the community. Employment is often cited as a stabilising factor after prison, a factor which can help a person to rebuild their life and become a contributing member of society. However, having a criminal history can negatively impact employment prospects, making employment difficult to obtain, especially in an increasingly competitive employment market. Thus far, research looking at employment after prison, and at prison and the post-release period in general, has been largely centred around men. Women and their specific needs are often overlooked in the research and in the criminal justice system due to their lower incarceration rates, and solutions, policies and practices are often created with men in mind, then adapted slightly to ‘fit’ women, without much real recognition of women’s different needs (Baldry, 2010; Mills, Kendall, Lathlean, & Steel, 2013). Therefore, the research undertaken for this project explores the role of employment in the lives of women who have recently been released from prison, looking at the benefits of and barriers to employment through the lived experiences of those who are in the post-release period, with a goal of adding to women-focused literature, which is desperately needed. Through semi-structured interviews, and guided by a feminist methodological framework, I drew on this lived experience of the participants and put their voices at the forefront of the research findings. The key finding was that while employment is vital for long-term success after release, the benefits of employment extend far beyond financial security, and employment is one piece of a post-release puzzle, which without the other pieces, is relatively useless on its own. A more holistic approach is needed in the post-release period to promote success.</p>

Patients’ experiences of occupational therapy within a multidisciplinary pain management programme: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 204946372110546
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Goodall ◽  
Terence Brown
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Management Programme ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Structured Intervention ◽  
Therapy Interventions ◽  
Occupational Therapy Interventions ◽  
Multidisciplinary Pain Management

Background Occupational problems are common for adults experiencing chronic pain, but occupational therapists are not always accessed as part of the multidisciplinary team. Despite evidence of benefit for work-focused interventions, there is limited evidence for broader benefit from occupational therapy interventions within the context of multidisciplinary pain management. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of programme attendees who received structured intervention from an occupational therapist as part of a multidisciplinary pain management programme, and gain an understanding as to how they felt it influenced changes they made to occupational participation. Method A qualitative approach was undertaken with 9 individual patients recruited from a group pain management programme for adults with chronic low back pain. Semi-structured interviews were carried out, recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the data. Results Three key themes were identified: 1) the helpfulness of activity pacing techniques 2) the value of participating in a therapeutic activity-based session and 3) an increased understanding of the importance of leisure and creative activities in the context of their lives. Conclusion Participants perceived the specific occupational therapy content of the programme to be helpful in a number of different ways. The findings suggest that occupational therapy can be important in facilitating patients to apply theoretical techniques in the real world, thereby increasing the likelihood of long term benefit.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document