Using Service-Learning to Teach Mental Health and Research Skills

ABSTRACT This paper describes how an occupational therapy program used service-learning to integrate the learning objectives for mental health and research curriculum content. The service-learning program assisted participants diagnosed with mental illness to achieve success in higher education and/...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Occupational therapy in health care 2011-01, Vol.25 (1), p.54-64
Main Author: Schindler, Victoria P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Mental health practice
research skills
service-learning
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT This paper describes how an occupational therapy program used service-learning to integrate the learning objectives for mental health and research curriculum content. The service-learning program assisted participants diagnosed with mental illness to achieve success in higher education and/or related goals and served as a clinical program within a research curriculum for entry-level graduate occupational therapy students. The occupational therapy students served as mentors for the participants. The purpose of the program for the occupational therapy students was to teach research skills, clinical skills, and increase comfort in working with the mental health population. Seventy-eight occupational therapy students participated in the program over four academic years. A case example of a student/participant mentoring relationship is provided. Results indicated that the occupational therapy students gained comfort with the population and competence in their clinical and research skills.
ISSN:0738-0577
1541-3098
DOI:10.3109/07380577.2010.519430