Junior Pereira MRes
My research interests are focused on mental health services, intersectionality, and substance use. I am particularly intrigued by innovative, community-centered approaches on a global scale. As a Research Assistant at the HEAL Lab, I am actively engaged in a pilot project inspired by the Trieste mental health care model, aligning with the principles of the Italian psychiatric reform.
Before becoming a PhD student, I worked as an occupational therapist at a Psychosocial Care Center in Brazil, with a focus on individuals utilizing substances (CAPS AD Nordeste). During this time, I conducted research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the occupations of users within the Brazilian Network for Psychosocial Care.
Education
Master’s by Research
in Occupation Studies
2022 | Federal University of Minas Gerais
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
2020 | University of Brasilia
Selected Publications
Pereira, H., Tanaka, K., & Agner, J. L. (2025). Experiential aspects of participation for people with serious mental illnesses: Measure validation and preliminary findings from Clubhouses in Hawai'i. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2025.2562147 Show abstract
The Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation (MeEAP) has strong potential for use in mental health and community settings, such as Clubhouses, as it addresses subjective aspects of participation. Thus, this study analyzes the MeEAP’s psychometric properties and descriptively examines experiential aspects of participation among 206 Clubhouse members. Results indicated good model fit, high internal consistency, and associations with health-related quality of life. Members rated autonomy, belonging, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning in Clubhouses very highly. However, members with activity limitations reported lower experiential participation than those without, suggesting opportunities to improve Clubhouse engagement for members with concurrent nonpsychiatric disabilities.
Keywords. Participation measurement, community participation, quality of participation, serious mental illness, community mental health settings, Clubhouse
Botero, A. K., Tanji, J. M., Churchill, H., Nakamura, L., Liu, M., Kaukau, T. M., Pereira, H., & Agner, J. L. (2024). Psychosocial support for Clubhouse members and staff in Hawaiʻi: A Maslowian perspective on wellness. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2024.2433071 Show abstract
This study explored how mental health Clubhouses, an occupation-centered psychosocial rehabilitation model, supported wellness for members and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data from 15 participants in Hawaiʻi were collected over five sessions through a virtual Photovoice process and analyzed using the framework method and thematic analysis. Findings illustrate how occupation-centered approaches supported higher-level growth needs during a period of collective crisis and uncertainty. This underscores the value of coupling occupation-centered approaches, such as Clubhouse, with those that meet basic needs to support belonging, identity, and purpose among people with mental illness.
Keywords. Clubhouse, mental illness, Photovoice, hierarchy of needs, COVID-19 pandemic
Awards
Provost Fellowship Top Off Award | 2023
USC Graduate School
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