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Exploring the effects of group therapy for the visually impaired
- Authors:
- NAYLOR Paige D., LABBE Elise E
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Visual Impairment, 35(1), 2017, pp.18-28.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Individuals with visual impairments may experience varying levels of stress due to their vision loss. This study investigated the effectiveness of a brief stress management group therapy intervention for visually impaired individuals. The measure for evaluating participants’ stress levels was the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI), and overall well-being was measured via the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS). The study evaluated 36 participants, all experiencing varying levels of vision loss, recruited from a regional vision rehabilitation centre. Approximately half of the participants were men (16) and half were women (20). The mean age of participants was 48.2 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12.9 years). This was a predominately African American sample (72%). The C-SOSI was administered before and after participation in an 8-week stress management group. The ORS was administered at every session. Well-being was significantly increased during the first round of the intervention (p = .02). No statistically significant decreases for stress during the first round of the intervention were observed. Those that enrolled in the intervention for a second round of treatment had a significant decrease for stress (p = .001), but not for well-being. Overall, hypotheses were partially supported. Stress scores decreased during both rounds of the intervention; a significant reduction in stress scores was found for those individuals in the second round of the intervention. Well-being also increased during both rounds of the intervention; a significant increase was found only for the first round of the intervention. These results may suggest that individuals need approximately 16 weeks of the intervention to experience significant reductions in their stress levels. The results and implications of the current treatment protocol are discussed. (Edited publisher abstract)
A vocational rehabilitation intervention for young adults with physical disabilities: participants' perception of beneficial attributes
- Author:
- BAL M.I.
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 43(1), 2017, pp.114-125.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: This paper is about a program that supports work participation amongst young adults with chronic physical disabilities. The study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators they experienced in finding and maintaining employment after starting the program, the participant-perceived beneficial attributes of the program and participants' recommendations for additional intervention components. Methods: Semi-structured interviews (n = 19) were held with former intervention participants. Interviews were recorded and transcribed ad verbatim. Themes were derived using the phenomenological approach. Results: Physical functions and capacities, supervisor's attitude, self-esteem and self-efficacy and openness and assertiveness were experienced barriers and facilitators for finding and maintaining employment. Improvement of self-promoting skills and disclosure skills through job interview-training, increased self-esteem or self-efficacy through peer-support, a suitable job through job placement, improvement of work ability through arrangement of adjusted work conditions and change of supervisor's attitude through education provided to the supervisor were perceived as beneficial attributes of the intervention. Respondents recommended to incorporate assertiveness and openness skills training into future intervention programs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that programs supporting work participation should be designed to provide challenging, real-world experiential opportunities that provide young adults with physical disabilities with new insights, self-efficacy and life skills. Also, such programs should facilitate context centred learning. Former intervention participants evaluated job-interview training, sharing learning and social experiences with peers, job placement, arrangement of adjusted work conditions and education as beneficial attributes of the ‘At Work’ program. In addition, they recommended incorporating more training on assertiveness and disclosure. (Edited publisher abstract)