Using intervention mapping to develop an occupational therapy informed intervention for adolescents experiencing...

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Mental health interventions
• Adolescent health

Background:

• Current interventions for adolescent mental health have limited success.
• There is a need for interventions addressing activity-related determinants in adolescent mental health.
• Occupational therapy offers a unique perspective on managing mental health through activity engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-develop a novel occupational therapy intervention for adolescents with emerging mental health difficulties.
• To address the need for interventions focusing on activity-related determinants of mental health.
• To utilize the Intervention Mapping framework for systematic intervention development.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method, multiphase, sequential study design was employed.
• The Intervention Mapping framework guided the development process.
• Methods included a systematic scoping review, time-use survey, focus groups, and a Delphi consensus process.

Main Results:

• An eight-session intervention, the Activity Time Use intervention, was developed.
• The intervention targets three behavioral change outcomes: activity balance, occupational choice making, and occupational performance.
• The intervention received positive feedback during Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) consultation regarding acceptability.

Conclusions:

• This study exemplifies the application of intervention mapping in occupational therapy.
• A theory-informed intervention was systematically developed to empower adolescents towards healthier time-use behaviors.
• The intervention aims to improve adolescent mental health through enhanced activity engagement and time management.