Occupational Self-Analysis Programme
Condition: Occupational Therapy; Intellectual Disability; Acquired Brain Injury; Students; Stroke; Awareness
MeSH terms: Brain Injuries; Intellectual Disability
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Introduction There is a growing tendency from Occupational Therapy towards the use of
      programs based on occupation, which, through significant occupational participation, have
      shown to obtain beneficial results maintained over time in its participants. For this, these
      programs carry out processes of occupational self- analysis in which people reflect on the
      daily activities they usually perform so that they can generate modifications towards more
      satisfactory routines. However, and despite their proven benefits, these programs have been
      conducted mainly on older people and in cultural contexts other than Spanish.

      The "Occupational Self-Analysis" program, developed in the Spanish context, provides
      participants with a space where they can learn to analyse the barriers and supports for
      occupational participation and thus achieve a more significant occupational performance.

      Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the "Occupational
      Self-Analysis" program on the subjective perception of health and the number of roles in
      people with and without disabilities. In the same way, the purpose was to analyse the
      increase or modification of the performance in the Activities of the Daily Life that the
      participants did, and to know how the social environment supports the individual
      participation of the participants in meaningful activities.

      Method The implementation of the "Occupational Self-Analysis" program was carried out in 3
      different populations; people with intellectual disability, people with acquired brain injury
      (ABI) and University students. The intervention was performed by comparing it with a control
      group (vocational guidance or usual rehabilitation in the caso of ABI participants). In
      people with intellectual disability, the experimental group consisted of 12 participants and
      the control one of 13. In people with ABI, the experimental group involved 5 participants and
      the control, 7. In university students, the experimental group involved 7 and the control 7.
      The SF-36 Health Questionnaire was used for the evaluation of subjective health perception
      and the Roles Checklist (Part 1) to evaluate the number of roles they play in the present and
      the future. All of them underwent a final focus group and the diary were they wrote their
      learning and emotions was analyzed to assess the benefits of the program.
    

Detailed description: 
      Results A positive trend was observed in all dimensions of the SF-36 Health Questionnaire in
      people with intellectual disability and ABI. In the experimental group of people with
      intellectual disability the improvements were significant compared to the control group in
      the dimensions of role limitations due to physical problems (Z = -2.41, p = .016), role
      limitations due to emotional problems (Z = - 1.99; p = .046), social function (Z = -3.35; p =
      .001) and the accumulated scores of the mental component (Z = -2.66; p = .008). On the other
      hand, the ABI experimental group obtained significant improvements in vitality after the
      intervention (Z = -2.20, p = .028), not finding statistically significant improvements
      compared to the control group.

      With respect to the number of roles internalized, both the experimental group with
      intellectual disability and the one presenting ABI experienced a marginally significant
      increase in the number of roles that participants wanted to develop in the future after
      taking part in the program.

      Both in people with intellectual disability, ABI and students, the program improved the
      involvement in meaningful activities through the inclusion of new occupations, modification
      of previous habits or the transformation of solitary activities into social participation
      activities. In addition, the participants increased their awareness of those factors that
      influenced their participation in meaningful activities. This meant becoming aware of aspects
      related to volition, habituation, personal abilities and the environment.
    

Intervention name(s): Occupational self-analysis; Vocational guidance; Usual Rehabilitation
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The "Occupational Self-Analysis" program provides participants with a space where they can learn to analyse the barriers and supports for occupational participation.; To explore participant´s job interests and learned how to find a job and define a professional profile.; Usual rehabilitation: occupational therapy and/or physiotherapy.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care