Understanding the role and importance of occupational therapy in mental health services in Morocco: Perspectives from mental health professionals

BACKGROUND: Across the global landscape, mental health care still exhibits challenges because of the lack of human and professional resources to face its consequences. In Morocco, mental health problems affect mainly adolescents and young adults, with a clear impact on functional engagement in their daily lives. Occupational therapy, as a holistic and person-centered practice, may be an ideal mental health strategy to promote health and well-being through occupation, thereby enabling individuals to participate in regular daily activities. OBJECTIVE: To understand, from an intercultural perspective, the point of view of mental health professionals regarding the role and importance of occupation-based practices in Errazi Mental Health Hospital in Sale (Rabat) Morocco. METHOD: A qualitative research design was used for this study. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with 12 mental health care professionals (non-occupational therapists). These results were used to gain an understanding of their perspectives regarding the main role of human occupation in mental health services in Morocco, and to incorporate an intercultural outlook in terms of occupational therapy. Data analysis was conducted in three phases, by following the grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: Two categories, "dimensions of occupation in Moroccan mental health" and "the interplay between traditional and western perspectives involving mental health" emerged from this research. Both categories included five subcategories. CONCLUSION: This study identifies how occupation-based services in Moroccan mental health care require considering not only the cultural perspective of mental health, and the sociocultural meaning rooted in occupations, but also the relevance of incorporating a community-centered approach. Moreover, it discusses how occupational therapy education in Morocco must incorporate an intercultural perspective of the therapy's theory and practice.