Author Description

Psychosocial health is a fundamental element of all human health and well-being. Psychological, emotional, and social factors interact to influence peoples’ occupational lives, in turn influencing psychosocial health. Occupational therapists practicing in contemporary health and social sectors require the knowledge, attitudes and skills to identify and address these psychosocial factors. The classic and renowned, Bruce & Borg’s Psychosocial Frames of Reference: Theories, Models, and Approaches for Occupation-Based Practice, Fourth Edition by Drs. Terry Krupa, Bonnie Kirsh, and their contributors, examines psychosocial models of practice and their application across a wide range of practice areas in occupational therapy, instead of being singularly focused on practice areas of the needs of people living with identified mental illnesses. Efforts have been made to highlight the relevance of specific models to practice for people with mental illnesses, particularly where the issues experienced by this group have historically been poorly addressed. The authors have also organized models and practice approaches according to the level at which they intervene to create change – occupation, person, environment, and transdisciplinary levels. As their central domain of concern, the first group of occupational models or approaches have a focus on “what people do” in their daily lives. A second group of models reflect those that intervene at the level of the person. This group understands strengths and problems in occupation as evolving largely from features or qualities of the individual, and the therapeutic processes suggested are directed to changing or building upon these features. A third group of models and approaches focus on the psychosocial context and environment to elicit and enable a positive change in occupation. In some cases, these environmental models expand commonly-held, narrow definitions of “clinical” practice to encourage occupational therapists to engage in