Reablement in mental health: A scoping review: Reablement in Functional Mental Illness

David  Babatunde Oyeneyin; Deepika  Vijayaraj

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2322

Authors

David Babatunde Oyeneyin Farnham Road Hospital, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom.
Deepika Vijayaraj Farnham Road Hospital, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2322

Keywords:

Reablement, Functional mental health, Mental health outcomes, Community mental health intervention, Restorative care

Abstract

Background
Mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, and schizophrenia, significantly impact global well-being. Reablement— a goal-oriented, time-limited, multidisciplinary intervention—supports independence and reduces reliance on long-term care services. However, its role in functional (non-organic) mental illness is unclear, and evidence remains limited.

Aim: This scoping review aimed to map existing research on reablement for people with functional mental illness. The objectives were to identify diagnoses involved, evaluate mental health outcomes, explore user experiences, and highlight knowledge gaps for practice and policy.

Method
The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological framework. Searches were conducted in Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Ovid Emcare, PubMed, and Cochrane, supplemented by non-indexed sources. Studies were eligible if they involved community-dwelling adults with functional mental illness or reported mental health outcomes of reablement. The selection process for eligible studies followed the Prisma 2020 flowchart procedure. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Findings were reported using descriptive synthesis, and qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results
Seven studies met the inclusion criteria: five quantitative, one qualitative, and one mixed-methods. Diagnoses identified included psychosis, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Reported outcomes suggested potential benefits in independence, quality of life, hope, empowerment, and family relationships, though effects were inconsistent. Thematic findings indicated that empowerment, flexibility in delivery, and social or family support positively influenced experiences. Evidence was heterogeneous, and few studies focused specifically on mental health populations, limiting generalisability.

Conclusions
Reablement appears to hold promise as a recovery-oriented, community-based intervention for people with functional mental illness. However, current evidence is sparse and lacks diagnostic specificity.

Future research

Robust, controlled studies are needed to determine effectiveness, refine delivery models, and guide clinical and policy decisions.

Author Biographies

David Babatunde Oyeneyin, Farnham Road Hospital, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom.

is a highly accomplished physiotherapy professional and clinical leader with expertise in healthy ageing, rehabilitation science, and mental health recovery. He currently serves as a Lead Physiotherapist in a mental health setting, where he provides strategic clinical leadership, drives service improvement initiatives, and delivers patient-centered rehabilitation programs focused on recovery and functional independence.

Babatunde holds a Master’s degree in Healthy Ageing and Rehabilitation Science from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Obafemi Awolowo University. He has also completed a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Arcadia University, further strengthening his advanced clinical expertise and research capacity.

A passionate advocate for evidence-based practice, Babatunde has published many peer-reviewed articles as a clinician, contributing to the advancement of physiotherapy, rehabilitation knowledge, and mental health care.

Deepika Vijayaraj, Farnham Road Hospital, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom.

BSc (Hons), MSc, PGCert, currently works as an Assistant Psychologist within Older People’s Mental Health and an adult neurodevelopmental service. Deepika is passionate about taking a comprehensive, scientist-practitioner, and multidisciplinary approach to her clinical work with people with mental health difficulties. Her interests further include contributing to the scientific evidence base through high-quality research, which informs service developments and leads to meaningful clinical outcomes.

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