Assessment practices of Canadian occupational therapists working with adults with mental disorders

Abstract

Background. Little is known about assessment practices of occupational therapists working with adults with mental disorders. Purpose. This study investigates the assessment practices of occupational therapists working with clients experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia or major depressive disorder. Method. We conducted a national survey of assessment practices using case vignettes of hypothetical clients. Findings. From 343 vignettes completed by 286 respondents, 68.4% included the use of one or more standardized measures during treatment. Measures were rarely repeated. Results showed that the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure was the most frequently used, suggesting a focus on assessing global functioning, while the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills was listed as the most desired assessment tool. Implementing nonstandardized assessments was common. Implications. Despite wide variations in occupational therapists’ assessment practices, the use of standardized assessments is prevalent. The low rate of repeated measures (0% to 25.9%) suggests a need to better monitor changes and treatment outcomes.