Pérez-Corrales J, Huertas-Hoyas E, García-Bravo C, Güeita-Rodríguez J, Palacios-Ceña D. Volunteering as a Meaningful Occupation in the Process of Recovery From Serious Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study.
Am J Occup Ther 2022;
76:23213. [PMID:
35201298 DOI:
10.5014/ajot.2022.045104]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE
Volunteering is an activity that facilitates social welfare, a sense of connection to others, and the construction of links with other people and the community.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the experience of a group of people with serious mental illness (SMI) who engaged in community volunteer work.
DESIGN
Qualitative, phenomenological study using purposeful sampling and an inductive thematic analysis.
SETTING
Several mental health community centers in Madrid and Catalonia, Spain.
PARTICIPANTS
People with SMI engaged in community volunteer work. Outcomes and Measures: In-depth interviews were used to collect data.
RESULTS
Two themes, with four subthemes each, emerged from the data: (1) engaging in a meaningful occupation enhances the recovery process (subthemes: undergoing positive experiences, performing or resuming a meaningful occupation, living in the present moment, and relating with one's social and family environment) and (2) a process of mutual support (subthemes: in helping others, you help yourself; helping others on the basis of one's first-person experience; recover before you can help others; and role of professionals in volunteering).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Volunteering is perceived as a meaningful occupation. Helping others generates a reciprocal benefit that favors the recovery process and contributes to the establishment of personal and social bonds. What This Article Adds: This study provides a basis for understanding the potential of volunteering to be a meaningful occupation in the recovery process of people with SMI. It can help occupational therapy practitioners develop volunteer-based intervention programs that support the recovery process.
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