Education of Occupational Therapists in Mental Health: A Global Survey of Educators Regarding Perceived Facilitators and Barriers

Tiago S. Jesus (), Pedro C. Monteiro, Ritchard Ledgerd and Claudia von Zweck
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Tiago S. Jesus: Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Pedro C. Monteiro: Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Ritchard Ledgerd: World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Claudia von Zweck: World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Occupational therapists can address worldwide mental health (MH) needs and workforce shortages. Ways to advance occupational therapy education to build occupational therapist workforce capacity in MH require further investigation. Objective: This study aimed to identify perceived barriers to and facilitators for advancing MH occupational therapy education, as rated by occupational therapy educators from across the world, stratified into groups of high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Method: Global survey, Likert-type, created and distributed by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Data were subject to a secondary weighted and subgroup analysis. Results: A total of 155 responses were obtained from occupational therapy educators from 45 countries or territories; 69% of the respondents were from HICs. The weighted analysis showed that educational standards and student interest were large facilitators for both HICs and LMICs. Faculty expertise stood out as a facilitator and the lack thereof as a barrier, both across HICs and LMICs. For HICs, regulation issues, lack of recognition, lack of supervised/fieldwork practice, and lack of workforce demand were frequently reported barriers, whereas lack of teaching resources and practice evidence were often perceived as barriers in LMICs. Conclusions: Capacity building approaches are required to advance MH occupational therapy education, with tailored approaches for HICs and LMICs.

Keywords: occupational therapy; occupational therapists; mental health; education; survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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