Background: Occupational balance (OB) is an important concept in occupational therapy and is considered as an essential component of health and well-being. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire-11 (OBQ11-T). Materials and methods: The OBQ11-T was administered to 116 individuals for construct validity analysis and to 58 individuals for reliability analysis. Validity was determined using explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis. In confirmatory factor analysis, RMSEA (root mean square error of approximation) value, comparative fit index (CFI), and Chi-square to degrees of freedom ratio (CMIN/DF) were analysed. The test–retest method and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were used to assess the reliability and internal consistency of the OBQ11-T, respectively. Results: The model fit the data according to the indices of relative fit (RMSEA = 0.076, CMIN/DF = 1.661, and CFI = 0.875). The correlation coefficient between test and retest OBQ11-T total scores was 0.922. Total scores showed a significant statistical relationship (p < 0.01), indicating good reliability. Cronbach’s alpha for OBQ11-T total score was 0.785, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Conclusions and significance: The current study demonstrates that the OBQ11-T is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the self-rated OB of healthy individuals.

Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are associated with problems with everyday occupations, including difficulties achieving occupational balance. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe occupational balance in people suffering from anxiety and/or depression and the factors that are associated with better self-rated occupational balance. Material: One hundred and eighteen participants were recruited from outpatient mental health care and primary health care. The participants were 18–65 years, had a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression, and had problems in everyday occupations. They answered questionnaires on occupational balance, psychological symptoms, quality of life and everyday occupations. Results: A generally low rating of occupational balance was found; however, the scores differed depending on the participants’ degree of anxiety and depression, their quality of life, their occupational performance and satisfaction with their occupational performance. Logistic regression analyses revealed that high quality of life, high satisfaction with occupational performance and low level of depression were associated to occupational balance. Conclusion: The results indicate that enhanced satisfaction with life and with performance of everyday occupations are relevant factors for achieving occupational balance in clients diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. Significance: The results will be valuable for professionals working to support their clients in enhancing their occupational balance.

Depression and anxiety often reduce people’s ability to cope with everyday occupations. There is a lack of knowledge about such problems in people of working age with depression and anxiety. To des...

Background: Occupational balance is an important concept in occupational science but it has mostly been studied from an individual rather than an interpersonal perspective, i.e. the extent to which one individual’s occupational balance affects and is affected by others. The aim of this review was to describe the extent to which occupational balance has been recently considered from an interpersonal perspective. Methods: A scoping review methodology was used. Articles published between 2014 and 2017 that met the following inclusion criteria were included: full articles reporting primary research; published in English; using “occupational balance”, “balance in everyday life”, or “life balance” in the abstract, key words, or title; having an occupational focus on balance; and providing relevant information in relation to the interpersonal perspective. Results: Nine articles were included. The interpersonal perspective was mostly seen in relation to partners or families, showing the positive impact of support and the negative impact of meeting other’s needs in mothers. One article addressed aspects related to organizations and attitudes at the workplace in parents with young children. Conclusion: The findings reveal the importance of considering the occupational balance of both the individual and those around him or her while also showing some of the complexity of occupational balance. The limited number of articles identified indicates that there is still a lack of research using an interpersonal perspective, suggesting that further examination of the interpersonal influence on occupational balance may be a fruitful avenue to pursue.

Depression and anxiety disorders are a major concern in western countries, and because these often have a negative affect on everyday life interventions based on activities in everyday life are needed. The Tree Theme Method® (TTM) is a client-centred occupational therapy intervention designed to increase the ability to cope with, and to enhance satisfaction with, everyday life, both at home and at work. The aim of this study was to compare the short term outcomes of the TTM intervention with regular occupational therapy treatment for people with depression and/or anxiety disorders. This randomised controlled trial included patients from three counties in Sweden. Men and women with depression and/or anxiety disorders, ages 18 to 65, were randomised to either TTM or regular occupational therapy. Assessment data were collected at baseline and the follow-up directly after completing the intervention. Non-parametric and parametric statistical methods were used. The questionnaires were answered by 118 patients at baseline and by 107 patients after completing the intervention. No significant differences in short term outcomes were found between the groups. Both groups showed positive significant outcomes regarding almost all aspects of activities in everyday life, psychological symptoms, and health-related and intervention-related aspects. Despite the lack of differences between the groups, the positive outcomes regarding activities in everyday life, psychological symptoms, and health-related aspects after completing the intervention indicates the need for further research on the long-term perspective of TTM compared to regular occupational therapy. Clinical Trials.gov: NCT01980381 ; registered November 2013.

Background: Health care employees are often women, a group that has high degrees of sick leave and perhaps problems attaining occupational balance. However, people think differently about their everyday activities and it is therefore important to take their perceptions into account but occupational balance has not yet been measured in health professionals. The aim was to describe occupational balance in three different samples of health professionals in Sweden. A further aim was to investigate whether occupational therapists (OTs) rate their occupational balance differently from other health professionals. Material and method: Four hundred and eighty-two health professionals, employees in public dentistry, mental health care and OTs, aged 21–70 years participated. The participants’ occupational balance was measured using the occupational balance questionnaire (OBQ). Results: The ratings of occupational balance were similar to earlier studies and did not differ significantly between the samples. The OTs’ occupational balance was also similar to that of the other health professionals. Conclusion: The similarities in occupational balance indicate the same difficulties in attaining it. Significance: The result highlights the possibility that working people face similar difficulties in achieving occupational balance. Further research is warranted about how to attain it.