Financial Capability Interventions Used for Specific Diagnoses Related to Functional Impairment: A Scoping Review

Occupational therapists often address financial occupations of clients with acquired functional impairments who experience challenges with financial capability (FC).

To explore the intervention literature aimed at improving FC in five diagnostic adult populations.

MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, EconLit, and EMBASE; researchers also completed backward and forward citation searching and contacted expert authors.

Two independent reviewers completed article screening, selection, and extraction using a scoping review approach; a priori inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles, written in English, involving adults with one of five diagnostic conditions, describing any intervention to improve FC.

Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria. Most articles were aimed at substance use or mental health populations (n = 20); fewer focused on brain injury (n = 2), multiple sclerosis (n = 1), or mixed-diagnosis (n = 1) populations. Only 4 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Interventions were heterogeneous and complex, including components of skills training (n = 21), individualized budgeting (n = 18), representative payeeship (n = 11), education (n = 10), structured goal setting (n = 7), savings building (n = 5), metacognitive strategies (n = 2), and assistive technology (n = 1).

Despite growth in the area, the literature regarding FC intervention is limited, with few RCTs and many populations unrepresented. The literature for a systematic review of FC intervention efficacy for these populations is insufficient, particularly because included studies used varied components, limiting comparison. Further research is imperative to guide evidence-based practice. Plain-Language Summary: This study is an overview of literature about interventions to address the financial occupations of clients with acquired functional impairments. The findings give occupational therapy researchers and clinicians the information they need to begin analyzing, using, and building the evidence to support the use of interventions to improve clients' financial capability and well-being.