From Theory to Practice: Developing the MOBILE Intervention for Adults with Depression

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Mental health interventions
• Complex intervention development

Background:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is linked to mood instability and occupational imbalance, reducing quality of life.
• Occupational therapy (OT) plays a role in mental health, but intervention development needs clearer processes.
• The Mood-Occupation Balance Reciprocal Model (MOBILE) intervention was systematically developed for MDD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically develop the MOBILE intervention for MDD using the MRC framework.
• To integrate theoretical models with client-centered, lived-experience perspectives.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention through a pilot study.

Main Methods:

• Development followed MRC framework phases: evidence identification, theory development, and process/outcome modeling.
• Integrated occupation-based and mood/function-based models, incorporating client feedback and ecological momentary assessment (EMA).
• A pilot study with two MDD inpatients evaluated recruitment, adherence, engagement, and practicality.

Main Results:

• The pilot study demonstrated high adherence, engagement, and feasibility, despite a small sample size.
• The EMA protocol was well-tolerated with minor refinements improving clinical applicability.
• Stakeholders highlighted the intervention's relevance, adaptability, and value of personalized planning.

Conclusions:

• The MOBILE intervention is an individualized program designed to enhance mood stability and daily functioning in MDD inpatients.
• It offers a theoretically grounded framework for personalized goal setting, strategy use, and routine balancing.
• This development account supports future evaluation, implementation, and integration into OT mental health practice.