An exploration into how forensic mental health service-users experience work

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of mental health service-users based in secure mental health hospitals who were involved in paid or voluntary work. A review of the existing literature discovered that there was a lack of evidence about this group of service-users compared to those living in the community.

Methodology: A descriptive phenomenological framework was employed to ensure that the perspectives of the participants were reflected without the intrusion of the preconceived ideas of the researcher.

Sample: A purposive sample of seven mental health service-users was recruited from a mental health hospital in the United Kingdom.

Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and recorded on a digital audio recorder. Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method was used to analyse the data collected from the semi-structured interviews. These included the following seven steps: general description of the data; identifying statements that directly link to the phenomenon; creating formulated meaning; aggregating the formulated meanings into clusters; exhaustive description of the emergent themes; developing the fundamental structures; and member checking.

Findings: Three themes emerged from the analysis: work is therapeutic; occupational therapists support involvement in work; and involvement in work has challenges.

Discussion: This study identifies the phenomenon of occupational flow, which had not hitherto been represented in the existing literature. It reveals how occupational therapy models can be used to improve the lived experience of service-users based on the three emergent themes.

Recommendations: Recommendations include ideas on how occupational therapists can support hospital-based mental health service-users to achieve occupational flow, occupational balance, and self-fulfilment at work.

Date of Award	Feb 2022
Original language	English
Supervisor	Jacqueline Parkes (Supervisor) & Tracey Redwood (Supervisor)