Perceptions of preparedness for mental health practice among newly qualified occupational therapists in South Africa

Abstract Background Newly qualified healthcare professionals are often the backbone of service delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings where workforce shortages persist. In South Africa, newly qualified occupational therapists frequently assume responsibility for delivering mental health services, often with limited supervision to support their transition into professional practice. However, little is known about how well undergraduate occupational therapy education prepares graduates for mental health practice. This study explored newly qualified occupational therapists’ perceptions of their preparedness for mental health practice. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Thirteen occupational therapists with one to five years of post-qualification experience participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 15. Trustworthiness was enhanced through reflexivity, peer debriefing, triangulation and maintenance of an audit trail. Findings Three themes were generated from the data. (1) Strengths of the mental health curriculum, including expert teaching, meaningful undergraduate clinical supervision, multidisciplinary learning experiences and participants’ perceived perceptions of preparedness for mental health practice. (2) Curriculum shortcomings in mental health education, including limited preparation for culturally responsive practice, complex mental health presentations and the application of occupational therapy interventions. (3) Recommendations for strengthening the undergraduate mental health curriculum, including expanding community-based mental health training, integrating physical and mental health teaching and improving consistency across undergraduate mental health curricula. Conclusion Undergraduate occupational therapy education in South Africa provides an important foundation for mental health practice but could be strengthened through greater cultural responsiveness, expanded community-based learning opportunities, improved supervision, feedback during clinical placements and greater consistency across undergraduate mental health curricula. Addressing these areas may improve graduates’ preparedness and confidence for mental health practice.