ABSTRACT

Objection: In this study, a systematic review was carried out to overseas studies and determine diagnostic groups and the types, effects of interventions, in order to understand vocational rehabilitation in the area of occupational therapy for people with mental disorders. Methods: For data retrieval from 2010 to 2019, a total of 12 databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and OTseeker, were searched for Mental disorder, Mental illness, Psychiatric disorder, Psychotic disorders, Bipolar disorder, Depressive disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective disorder, Employment, Job, Work, Vocational, Occupational therapy. A total of 29 studies were included in the final analysis. Results: The diagnostic group included in the study had the most schizophrenia. Looking into vocational rehabilitation for each of the types of interventions, 16 papers, the largest, were about supported employment, followed by 10 about social skills and cognitive rehabilitation training plus supported employment and one for each regarding social skills and cognitive rehabilitation training, other vocational approaches, and social skills and cognitive rehabilitation training plus other occupational approaches. Regarding studies showing effects in the employment rate by interventions type following types of employment, as the largest number of studies, 13 papers were about supported employment in competitive employment, one were about other vocational approaches in non-competitive employment and three about supported employment in paid employment. Conclusions: In the future, It can be used as a basis for introducing basic data, policy and evaluation system to provide systematic and comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services for people with mental disorders in Korea.