The recent trends in the treatment of psychiatric patients have shown more interests in the development and the evaluation of psychiatric rehabilitation programs along with pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, with its ultimate purpose of patients’ going back to the community. It is considered quite meaningful for a psychiatric nurse to develop and carry out therapeutic recreation programs under the situation where practical rehabilitation programs are under-developed. This study is to evaluate the efficiency of systematic and therapeutic recreation programs on psychiatric patients’ depression and human relationship so as to suggest evidences which could be applied in a clinical situation.
The subjects of this study were 12 psychiatric in patients and day care patients of J Psychiatric Centre in Kwangju City during the period of August 19, 1996 to September 7, 1996, for whom 10 therapeutic recreation programs have been applied three times a week of three weeks, and then their effects on patients depression and human relationships were reviewed.
The instruments of the study were therapeutic recreation programs developed by the researcher; depression scale which was standardized of Beck’s Depression inventory by Han, Hong Moo, et al.(1986); Relationship Change Scale of Schlein and Guerney translated by Moon, Seon Mo(1980) and slightly modified by Cheon, Suk Kyun(1994). A questionnaire on therapeutic recreation was distributed in order to evaluate therapeutic recreation programs.
The data was analysed by Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Tests, and answers of each question was numbered.
The results of this study were summarized as follows ;
1. The scores of depression in posttest were significantly lower than before receiving programs from a statistical point of view(Z=-2.510, p= .012)
2. The scores of human relationship in posttest were significantly higher than before receiving programs form a statistical point of view(Z=-2.118, p= .034).
3. Among those programs developed by the researcher, preference was shown in the order of sing, motion song and physical activities. In order to provide therapeutic recreation programs in groups for psychiatric patients, it is thought to be more effective to apply in a gradual way taken fully into consideration of individual’s or group’s psychopathic conditions, needs, recreation experiences purpose and values of the program etc.
In conclusion, there were positive results in patients’ depression and human relationship by practicing therapeutic recreation programs. Accordingly, therapeutic recreation programs could be approached on a practical and clinical level in psychiatric nursing with substantial evidences.
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