Why were arts and crafts used in early occupational therapy programs?

In the early 20th century, arts and crafts were utilized in occupational therapy programs primarily as a structured means to occupy individuals suffering from serious mental disorders.1

This practice was rooted in the 19th-century "moral treatment" approach, which recognized that engaging in restorative daily activities could improve the health and lives of institutionalized patients. By providing patients with meaningful, structured tasks, these early programs aimed to improve overall health and well-being through active participation. The success of these initial experiments led to the establishment of the first occupational therapy workshops and eventually formal training programs for therapists.1