Psychosocial Frames of Reference: Core for Occupation-based Practice

Psychosocial Frames of Reference has a successful history as a resource for planning psychosocial occupational therapy intervention. This exceptional new edition continues to provide a comprehensive description of occupational therapy and relevant psychological, social, and cognitive theories, plus “real-life” examples that contribute to the reader’s understanding of the person and his or her mental health concerns as they influence the ability to engage in meaningful occupation. The previous editions of Psychosocial Frames of Reference prepared students to work in the mental health specialty of occupational therapy practice. The third edition continues to prepare students for mental health specialty and additionally applies psychosocial theories to practice in multiple contexts outside the field of mental health. It is a text grounded in the profession’s belief that addressing psychosocial issues is at the “core” of all occupational therapy.

Psychosocial Frames of Reference: Core for Occupation-Based Practice, Third Edition describes the three variables of person, activity, and environment and helps the reader to understand the relationships among these variables as they are viewed by the theoretical models presented in the text. The text provides an overview of the evolution of mental health theory models and thereby helps the reader put information into perspective. Theoretical summaries are supplemented with extensive bibliographies that the reader can explore and use as a springboard for finding evidence-for-practice. The theoretical and practice guides provided in the text act as a basis for clinical reasoning and help the reader in the selection of a particular frame of reference and the identification of intervention strategies.

Features

Comprehensive discussions of the occupational therapy, psychological, social, and cognitive theories that create the foundation for practice. Extensive bibliography that reflects both breadth and depth, and contributes to the knowledge needed for evidence-based practice. Comprehensive discussion of the theoretical basis for client-centered practice in occupational therapy. Rather than providing a “recipe” for intervention, this text gives the reader a way to reason and discriminate among the multiple avenues that intervention could take. Extensive discussion of crisis intervention and the occupational therapist’s response to self-destructive behavior.

Mary Ann Bruce, PhD, OTR

Mary Ann Bruce, MS, OTR, completed her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy and home economics at Colorado State University and her master’s degree in counseling at Southern Connecticut State University. She is currently completing a doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Southern California. She has pursued her interests in mental health, cognition, learning, group and community intervention, and administration in occupational therapy practice, education, consultation, and scholarly activities. Since beginning her career in 1967, some of her positions have included: Director of Occupational Therapy at Bethesda Hospital and Community Mental Health Center, Denver, Colorado; Associate Professor and Chairperson of Occupational Therapy at Quinnipiac College, Hamden, Connecticut; and Associate Professor and Interim Chairperson of Occupational Therapy at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. She has assumed professional responsibilities as an accreditation site visitor for the American Occupational Therapy Association, reviewer for the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, reviewer of several AOTA Self-Study projects, and test writer for specialty certification exams. Currently, she is an independent contractor in occupational therapy in Irvine, California.

Mary Ann’s current teaching and research focus is motivation, learning strategies, cognitive processing, and problem solving.

Barbara Borg, MA, OTR

Barbara Borg, MA, OTR, has a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. She has engaged in occupational therapy practice and in individual, couple, family, and group counseling, consultation, and education with children and adults of all ages. She has held the position of Director of Occupational Therapy and Field Work Coordinator at Bethesda Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and for many years was part of the Colorado Council on Basic Education. She is currently assistant professor at Colorado State University, where she has taught for 8 years, and has also served as affiliate faculty. While teaching, she has maintained a small practice. In 1995, she received the Gilfoyle Award for Teaching Excellence.

Barbara’s articles have appeared in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, and she has been a presenter at national and state professional conferences. She has been a reviewer for the American Journal of Occupational Therapy amd Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, and served on the Editorial Board for the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Cognitive Rehabilitation: Self-Study Series (1993). She and Mary Ann Bruce have co-authored two other books in the area of psychosocial practice: The Group System: The Therapeutic Activity Group in Occupational Therapy (1991) and Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: Frames of Reference for Intervention (1987, 1993). Barbara and Mary Ann also contributed a chapter to Occupational Therapy: Overcoming Human Performance Deficits (Christiansen & Baum, 1991).

Barbara lives in Colorado with her two children, Andrew and Emily.