OBJECTIVE. We sought to describe the occupational performance issues of a sample of bariatric surgery candidates and to explore the relationships among occupational performance, satisfaction with performance, demographic characteristics, and mental health factors. METHOD. We reviewed the health records of 241 bariatric surgery candidates and analyzed their scores on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and standardized mental health questionnaires. RESULTS. Exercise and eating behavior were the most common occupational performance issues. Cognitive and affective issues were reported more frequently than physical issues. Occupational performance and satisfaction correlated negatively with anxiety and depression and positively with self-esteem. Self-esteem contributed 27% of the variance in occupational performance. CONCLUSION. COPM scores revealed a wide range of occupational performance issues and significant associations with mental health factors, supporting a psychosocial approach to occupational therapy with this population. Routine mental health screening can help ensure that mental health factors are adequately addressed.

OBJECTIVE. We assessed whether functional capacity predicts self-esteem in people with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 108 people with CP, ages 16–65 yr, who were residents of Spain. Self-esteem was captured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and functional capacity using the Barthel Index (BI). Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. The relationship between the RSES score and the BI score was analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS. RSES scores increased significantly as BI scores increased (regression coefficient = 0.047, 95% confidence interval [0.017, 0.078], p = .003). People with a higher level of education, active employment, and independent living arrangements tended to have better functional capacity and higher self-esteem. CONCLUSION. Greater functional capacity predicted higher self-esteem; this effect is probably partly mediated by education, employment, and living arrangements.

OBJECTIVE. Life-threatening illness profoundly affects people’s occupational functioning, yet continuing occupational engagement seems vital to their well-being. This qualitative study used a doing-being-becoming framework to explore the place of occupation in human lives threatened by illness. METHOD. The experiences of 13 male and 10 female day hospice participants were investigated through a combination of focus groups, individual interviews, and participant observation. These data were interpreted by a process of constant comparison, coding, and theme building. RESULTS. Experiences of doing were evident in accounts of losing and maintaining valued occupations and striving to preserve physical and mental functioning. A sense of being through occupational engagement arose in social relationships and self-exploration that enhanced feelings of self-worth. Occupation promoted the experience of becoming by providing fresh learning opportunities and a sense of contributing to others’ welfare. CONCLUSION. The data offer new insights into the potential benefits of occupational engagement for persons dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Use of the doing-being-becoming framework enriched analysis of these data, which, in turn, have contributed to the understanding of the framework’s theoretical concepts.

This article describes the organization, curriculum, and outcomes for New Stories/New Cultures, an activity-based program for after-school enrichment in five schools in the low-income neighborhood near a major American university. The program encourages students (70% Hispanic-American, 30% African-American) to experience themselves as producers of culture, not just as consumers. Its methods include (a) creative team use of video equipment and other expressive media and (b) lessons about media literacy (i.e., making critical choices about images and activities depicted in popular culture and commercials). Outcome measures with the cohort of fifth and sixth graders support the program’s occupation-based philosophy. They show that students are more likely to experience themselves as building skills when engaged in activities that are both challenging and enjoyable. The students reported greatest engagement and enjoyment in activities that were creative, team-based, and involving media production. These same activities were correlated with increased self-esteem. The term direct cultural intervention is used to describe the application of occupational principles and critical perspectives to provide a population with conceptual tools and skills for interpreting and successfully navigating the social world.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of life review reminiscence activities on reported depression and self-esteem. The study used a pretest–posttest experimental design in which 24 well older adults living in a retirement community were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups. The experimental group participated in six life review sessions, after which all subjects were readministered the Beck Depression Inventory and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Survey. An analysis of covariance indicated that life review reminiscence activities did not significantly affect depression and self-esteem. These findings imply that participation in life review activities did not negatively affect this sample of well older adults and that life review reminiscence is a worthwhile activity for this age group.