Effectiveness of a Body-Oriented Self-Management Program in Acute Psychiatric Occupational Therapy: A Preliminary Retrospective Case-Control Study

Background Acute psychiatric care typically prioritizes crisis stabilization. Accordingly, patients are often discharged without learning how to manage their illness. To address this gap, we developed an Individual Self-Management Program, which focuses on identifying and managing bodily sensations and fatigue and fosters foundational self-management skills. Here, we examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of integrating this program into acute psychiatric occupational therapy, with a focus on enhancing self-management and body-awareness-related outcomes. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, patients either underwent an Individual Self-Management Program plus standard occupational therapy or standard occupational therapy alone. The Individual Self-Management Program was delivered in one-on-one occupational therapy sessions and comprised experiential activities and reflective exercises to monitor symptom fluctuations, record self-monitoring data, identify coping strategies, and develop crisis plans. Quantitative outcomes included the Mental Health Self-management Questionnaire, Shitsu–Taikan–Sho–Scale, and Global Assessment of Functioning scores. Linear mixed-model analyses were used to assess the changes from admission to discharge. Qualitative feedback was also collected to explore subjective experiences. Results Thirty-seven participants met the inclusion criteria: 20 received the Individual Self-Management Program plus standard occupational therapy, and 17 received standard occupational therapy alone. Both groups demonstrated improvements in self-management and overall functioning. However, the Individual Self-Management Program group demonstrated (1) significantly greater gains in the Mental Health Self-management Questionnaire and Shitsu–Taikan–Sho–Scale total score, particularly on the Empowerment and Vitality subscales; (2) discharge scores that approached the community benchmark for individuals living independently; (3) modest improvements in the Shitsu–Taikan–Sho–Scale Lack of Health Management subscale score, suggesting enhanced body-awareness-related self-care; and (4) qualitative data suggesting that the patients had increased awareness of fatigue, stress, and bodily changes. Conclusions The Individual Self-Management Program is a feasible and potentially effective intervention for promoting self-management and body awareness during acute psychiatric hospitalization. These findings support the integration of personalized, body-oriented self-management training within the biopsychosocial framework of psychiatric care.