AOTA

Sarah Bream, MA, OTD, OTR/L

Earn .1 AOTA CEU (1.25 NBCOT PDU/1 contact hour)

Abstract
To more clearly understand how the profession of occupational therapy has historically defined, viewed, and interpreted clinical practice specific to adolescent mental health, the author of this article conducted an in-depth review and analysis of the topic in occupational therapy literature, including Occupational Therapy Archives (1917 to 1924), Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation (1925 to 1950), the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (1960 to 2009); and 11 editions of Willard and Spackman's Occupational Therapy textbooks (1947 to 2009). This article offers insight into how the profession of occupational therapy has historically conceptualized clinical practice settings, interdisciplinary collaboration, therapeutic approaches, and types of intervention specific to our role in adolescent mental health practice. The article also includes a timeline of key historical events that have helped shape occupational therapy practice in adolescent mental health.  

Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you should be able to:

1. Recognize how occupational therapy's role in adolescent mental health practice has evolved over time.
2. Identify practice settings where occupational therapy practitioners work with adolescents with mental health needs.
3. Identify the nature of interdisciplinary collaborations that have occurred in adolescent mental health practice.
4. Differentiate interventions that have been used by occupational therapy practitioners in adolescent mental health practice over time.

Learning Level: Entry

Target audience: Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistants

Content: Category 3: General Professional Issues

Reference Information:
Bream, S., (2013). The History of Occupational Therapy  in Adolescent Mental Health Practice. OT Practice, 18(3), CE-1–CE-8