What helps and hinders people with psychotic conditions doing what they want in their daily lives

It is important for people to do what they want in their daily lives and this is embedded in concepts of recovery, rehabilitation, social inclusion and quality of life. To research what helps and hinders people with psychotic conditions to do what they want, 24 people already engaged in a trial of occupational therapy were interviewed by a service user researcher. The qualitative methods used framework analysis.

The findings described what the participants appreciated about occupational therapy and how other workers sometimes delivered occupational therapy type interventions. As well as therapy, multifarious factors appeared to have an impact on people's choices and actions and these reiterated the findings from prior studies. These internal and external factors combined in complex relationships. People felt particularly vulnerable when staff behaved uncaringly and with disrespect because this replicated past traumas, stigmatisation and rejection. The participants revealed how important it was for staff to pitch their interventions right for them at the time.

The study led to suggestions that occupational therapists refine their artistry in order to hone their interventions to suit the individual, follow guidance on developing therapeutic relationships and recovery-focused capabilities, enhance caring by getting support themselves and employ critical thinking to challenge organisational barriers and their profession's rhetoric.