Background Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common in childhood, as are risk
factors that undermine wellbeing: low self-esteem and limited participation in daily
occupations. Current treatments focus primarily on modifying internal cognitions with
insufficient effect on functional outcomes. Occupational therapists have a role in measuring
and enabling children's functional abilities to promote health and wellbeing. To-date there is
no evidence for the use of occupational therapy as an intervention to promote mental health …

Background: Children's mental health is a growing focus in health promotion. Current
treatments focus primarily on modifying internal cognitions with insufficient effect on
functional outcomes. Occupational therapists can promote health and wellbeing by enabling
children to design and build health-promoting routines and make healthy occupational
choices. There was no evidence for the use of occupational therapy as an intervention to
promote mental health or increase participation and wellbeing in a preventative context. The …