Boredom in inpatient mental healthcare settings: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: To identify the scope of existing literature exploring boredom experienced by those using inpatient mental health services, we conducted a scoping review. METHOD: We performed a comprehensive literature search of four databases: Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO. This search resulted in 978 titles and abstracts, which were reviewed by two independent raters. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies met the criteria for inclusion. Inter-rater reliability was assessed (k = 0.719 (95% confidence interval 0.500 to 0.938), P < 0.05 (full-text)), resulting in a 'good' strength of agreement according to the Practical Statistics for Medical Research. A content analysis resulted in the identification of four primary themes: (a) boredom as an acknowledged problem in inpatient mental health settings; (b) consequences of boredom; (c) models for addressing boredom through meaningful activity; and (d) the occupational therapy role in addressing state and trait boredom. CONCLUSION: Occupational therapists play an important role in addressing the boredom experienced by those receiving treatment for mental illness in hospital settings. Further empirical evidence is needed to develop a better understanding of the influence of boredom on inpatient service users' mental health, and additional models need to be developed to address this persistent problem.