Sport şi Societate (Dec 2013)
STUDY REGARDING THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION IN FREEDOM-DEPRIVED PERSONS' LEISURE TIME ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES
Abstract
The choice of the theme for this research was determined by the combination of two of my professional interests: occupational therapy, and physical education and sports. The aim and tasks of this paper are to identify and contribute to the introduction of occupational therapy in the freedom-deprived persons in penitentiaries, following their involvement in leisure time athletic activities. The study was conducted at the Bacau Penitentiary for minors and youths, over the course of three months, March-May, 2013, the group of subjects being composed of 18 minors. The initial hypothesis presumes that the use of the occupational therapy intervention in the minor freedom-deprived persons contributes to a more effective use of their leisure time performing activities that would give them satisfactions, improving their health and quality of life. The research consisted in applying an intervention with the help of several students, who over the course of three months assessed the freedom-deprived penitentiary minors, conceived an intervention plan for the leisure time athletic activities, and applied it. The results obtained after the initial assessment indicated the existence of certain occupational problems in the area of leisure time athletic activities, in the studied subjects. After the occupational therapy intervention, a questionnaire was applied to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. The development of the study and the interpretation of the results have lead to the following conclusions: One can say that the use of occupational therapy for the freedom-deprived minors lead to the improvement of their quality of life, thus confirming the initial hypothesis. The regular practice of athletic activities leads to a healthy life pattern and to structuring your leisure time through activities that have a positive effect, forming self-efficacy beliefs and competences, and have a direct relation with self-esteem, overshadowing the passive recreational activities that can have negative effects.
