Effects of Client-Centered Occupational Therapy Intervention in Older Adults With Depression: A Randomized Controlled...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of client-centered occupational therapy intervention on the mental health, activities of daily living (ADL), and community participation of older adults with depression. Methods: This study was a single-blind, randomized controlled study conducted on older adults with depression, and those who met the selection and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into an experimental group of 15 people and a control group of 15 people. The experimental group performed client-centered occupational therapy intervention using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Barth Time Construction (BTC), and the control group performed case management and a strength-brain exercise program. Both groups underwent intervention twice a week for 60 min, for a total of 16 sessions. Before and after the intervention, depression, anxiety, stress, ADL, and community partitioning were measured using assessment tools with proven reliability and validity in both the experimental group and the control group. Results: The experimental group exhibited significant changes after the intervention in depression, anxiety, stress, social integration, and community integration scores (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01), while the control group showed significant changes only in depression scores (p < 0.05). As a result of comparing the amount of change between the experimental and control groups, significant differences were found in social integration among the areas of depression, stress, and community integration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results suggest that client-centered occupational therapy intervention could serve as an effective intervention for improving mental health, ADL, and community participation in older adults with depression. Trial Registration: Korea Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS): KCT0009358.