Occupational experiences and their importance for young peoples' mental health.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Young peoples' mental health challenges have increased in recent years to become an urgent public health issue. Research is required to gain a better understanding of how occupations influence young peoples' everyday lives and support their mental health. AIM: How do young people experience engaging in various occupations in their daily lives, and how do these experiences shape their mental health? METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Norwegian young people aged 13-16 years. Verbatim transcriptions of the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four core themes emerged 'doing' for balance and stability; self-discovery through doing; intentional doing to recharge and feel free; and reflecting on the consequences of doing social media. CONCLUSIONS: Young peoples' occupational experiences shape their mental health in several ways they serve as coping strategies, as a means to experience joy and accomplishment, and as a source of routines and opportunities for relaxation. We suggest that health-promoting initiatives for young people would strongly benefit from the inclusion of an occupational perspective.