Occupational therapy in forensic psychiatry: Recent developments in our understandings (2007-2013)

Introduction Occupational therapy in forensic settings has developed in recent decades, leading to an increasing amount of research being conducted in this field. There have been two previous attempts to provide overviews of this body of evidence and future directions for research; however, the rate of research has accelerated in recent years. This critical review addresses the following question: what evidence has been published about occupational therapy in forensic psychiatry over the past 7 years? Method A mixed methods approach was adopted, with four databases and a search engine consulted (OTDBase, CINAHL, AMED, PSYCHInfo, Google Scholar). The inclusion criteria were: (a) articles published in peer reviewed journals since 2007 and (b) authored by at least one occupational therapist. Twenty-five studies were identified for review, and the four dimensions of occupation – doing, being, becoming and belonging – were used to provide a theoretical context for the subsequent discussion. Findings The recent evidence base in forensic psychiatry focuses on doing and being, with fewer articles addressing becoming and belonging. Conclusion This review has identified increasing numbers of studies about forensic occupational therapy, which may reflect growth in both interest and the worldwide workforce.