The outcome of an occupational therapy programme for grade 8 and grade 9 learners who use substances
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Date
2021
Authors
India, Nokutula
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Abstract
The Matthew Goniwe Comprehensive High School (MGCHS) in Cradock, which was the
research site for this study, has a high number of learners identified as using substances
by the school drug testing protocol. This school has a substance use support
programme, but occupational therapy was a new addition. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate the outcome of a specially designed group occupational therapy
programme to the school substance support programme.
The aim of the study was to design and implement an appropriate group occupational
therapy intervention programme and then evaluate the effect on behaviour, academic
performance and time use for learners identified with substance use.
Methodology
A quantitative randomized control trial using an experimental design was undertaken.
Total population sampling recruited Grade 8 and 9 learners identified as using
substances into the study. The learners were randomly divided into an experimental
and control group. Only participants in the experimental group attended the group
occupational therapy programme, but both groups attended the school substance use
support programme. Demographic data as well as academic performance and
behaviour were collected using the Child Behaviour Checklist (6-18 years) Teacher
Report Form (CBCL-TRF) at the start of the study. The CBCL-TRF was repeated at the
end of the study and again six months later. The activities health assessment, as a
programme outcome, was used to collect time use data at the end of the study.
Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were used to determine the differences
between the two groups.
Results
Forty-five participants took part in the study, 23 in the experimental group and 22 in the
control group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups on the
demographic variables. There was no change between the groups’ scores before and
after the CBCL-TRF, but there was a significant improvement on scores for the
experimental group six months later. The academic pre- and post-experiment scores for
the control group remained the same, while those of the experimental group improved
significantly between the two data collection periods. There was no significant
difference in activities health between the two groups at the end of the study.
Conclusion
The specifically designed occupational therapy programme did not influence the
behaviour of the experimental group participants initially, but a significant change was
noted six months later. The programme influenced the academic performance of the
experimental group participants but did not influence their activities health.
Description
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Occupational Therapy to the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021