Pediatric Occupational Therapists and Occupational Stress: A Scoping Review

The purpose of this scoping review was to provide further insight into the stress and the stressors experienced by pediatric occupational therapists in the work environment. Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, the search was conducted in eight databases, nine electronic journals, and eight gray literature sources to identify articles related to stress and stressors of pediatric occupational therapists. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers. Twelve articles published from 2011 to 2020 were identified and varied in terms of purpose, population, and results although the articles all shared similar methodologies and outcome measures. Only 25% of the articles (3/12) addressed pediatric occupational therapy stress and stressors directly while the remaining addressed occupational stress, but with varying levels of attention to pediatric occupational therapists. Stress and stressors experienced by pediatric occupational therapists have been studied to a limited extent. Occupational stress is associated with increased burnout, decreased health, and decreased job satisfaction and performance. Several knowledge gaps have been identified, as well as priorities for future research into pediatric occupational therapists and occupational stress.