•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Purpose: Filipino occupational therapy students experience decreased well-being during their educational experience. However, there is a limited amount of literature describing their well-being and a scarcity of culturally specific interventions to promote student well-being. The Well-Being Through Occupational Participation intervention is an evidence-based, manualized program consisting of a variety of occupation-based activities. The objective of this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a modified version of the intervention in promoting undergraduate Filipino occupational therapy student well-being.

Methods: A convergent mixed-methods approach was used, specifically longitudinal survey for the quantitative design and qualitative descriptive for the qualitative design. Data was collected simultaneously yet analyzed separately. Study participants were recruited from all cohorts of a single university system’s undergraduate occupational therapy program. Participants (n = 43) were randomly assigned into either the intervention (n = 23) or control group (n = 20), with intervention participants receiving the intervention and the control group participants accessing usual well-being programming offered at the departmental, college, and university-wide level.

Quantitative data was collected at three timepoints using four standardized assessments (14-Item Scales of General Well-Being, Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form, 12-Item Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey, Occupational Balance Questionnaire 11) and analyzed using a two-way mixed analysis of variance test. Qualitative participant reflections, collected pre and immediate post-intervention, were analyzed using a multi-tiered thematic analysis.

Results: Results suggest significant group differences in general well-being (p = .020, ηp2 =

.10), self-compassion (p = .025, ηp2 = .09), and occupational balance (p = .030, ηp2 = .08). Qualitative results suggested participants understood well-being to be ongoing, intentional, holistic and multi-dimensional in nature and influenced by environmental and personal factors. All participants described their well-being along a spectrum and the practical daily life strategies used to promote their well-being. Specifically, the intervention group participants reported how they benefited from the intervention activities and gained additional strategies. Overall, there was general congruence across quantitative and qualitative findings.

Conclusions: This study shows evidence that the well-being of students can be improved through occupation-based interventions, such as the WBOP intervention, that address self-compassion, engagement in meaningful occupations, and occupational balance. Students can intentionally and holistically address their well-being by recognizing personal and environmental factors and implementing practical daily life strategies. The WBOP intervention may be valuable in addressing well-being needs across cultural contexts.

Download

Share

COinS