title: Client perception of a client-centered and occupation-based intervention for at-risk youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A community-based occupational therapy program aims to provide client-centered and occupation-based interventions to at-risk youth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study explores how at-risk youth experiencing psychosocial and environmental barriers to occupation respond to client-centered and occupation-based occupational therapy in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with five youth participants receiving individual therapy interventions through a community-based occupational therapy program. The transcript data were analyzed qualitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes emerged: (i) client-centered and occupation-based OT interventions, (ii) the youths' increased self-advocacy, and (iii) the enhancement of youths' perception of their future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The youth in this study described OT interventions exemplifying client-centered and occupation-based therapy, a non-prescriptive approach that validates the individual and may prove especially effective in serving the at-risk youth population.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy Department, Samuel Merritt University , Oakland, CA , USA.
authors.forename: Chi-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011584:Psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: adolescents; collaboration; community-based; mental and behavioral health; occupational therapy interventions; self-advocacy; therapeutic relationship