Occupational Therapists' Perspective on Occupational Disruption in Women with Severe Mental Disorder

Abstract

Women with severe mental disorders are faced with a double stigmatization, on the one hand, the non-compliance with socially imposed expectations regarding the roles associated with their gender, and on the other hand, a mental health diagnosis; both conditions perceived by thoughts established on the basis of prejudices position them as incompetent and incapable of taking care of themselves. As a result of this, there is an impact on their social and occupational participation, so this qualitative research seeks to know the consequences of occupational disruption in the daily life of women with severe mental disorders by conducting semi-structured interviews with occupational therapists working in the field of mental health, in order to understand from the discipline the occupational disruptions presented. Among the results obtained, the manifestation of occupational disruption in the daily life of women with severe mental disorder is recognized; the incidence of psychopathological and psychosocial factors; and the relationship between the sense of self-efficacy and gender roles. Finally, by way of conclusion, a modification of their routines is identified, due to the loss or change in the way they carry out their occupations.Thus, when occupational participation is interfered with, there is an alteration in the maintenance and/or acquisition of roles, which produces a decrease in the sense of self-efficacy, which is analyzed by the therapists from a gender perspective.