Datoranvändningen har ökat i samhället och datorspelandet har överrepresenterats av unga killar. Datorspelandet har relaterats till både hälsoproblem och positiva effekter. Studien utgick ifrån den subjektiva upplevelsen av aktivitetsbalans eftersom den är viktig för hälsan och inom arbetsterapin. Syftet var att beskriva självupplevd aktivitetsbalans hos killar (i åldern 16-20 år) som spelade datorspel. En kvantitativ enkätstudie gjordes på 58 datorspelande killar. Datainsamlingen gjordes med Occupational Balance Questionnaire. Urvalet var ett bekvämlighetsurval, deltagarna i studien studerade på gymnasieskolor. Deltagarna skattade i genomsnitt hög aktivitetsbalans. Resultatet visade en relation mellan antal timmar vid datorspel och självskattad aktivitetsbalans. Några deltagare upplevde att datorspelandet tog tid från andra saker de ville göra, exempelvis sömn, skolarbete och viktigare saker prioriterades bort. Samhällets normer kan ha påverkat att en del deltagare ansåg att det fanns viktigare saker de borde göra. Datorspelandet upplevdes meningsfullt och var en av flera aspekter som inverkade på deltagarnas aktivitetsbalans. Studien bekräftade arbetsterapeutens roll att se aktivitet i sitt sammanhang, ha en holistisk syn på människan och främja meningsfulla aktiviteter för individen. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att öka förståelsen för hur datorspelandet påverkar ungdomars aktivitetsbalans och hälsa. / Computer use has increased in society and young guys played the most computer games. Computer gaming has been related to both health problems and positive effects. The subjective experience of occupational balance is important for the health and within occupational therapy. The aim was to describe self-perceived occupational balance among guys (16-20 years) who played computer games. A quantitative survey was made among 58 computer gaming guys. Data collection was made through Occupational Balance Questionnaire. The sample was made with regard to convenience and the participants studied at high schools. They rated average high occupational balance. There was a correlation between the time playing computer games and self-rated occupational balance. Some of the participants experienced that playing computer games took time away from other things they wanted to do, for example sleep, school work and more important things were lesser prioritized. Societal norms may have influenced the participants to see computer gaming as unimportant. Computer gaming was meaningful and one of several aspects that influenced the occupational balance. The study confirmed the occupational therapists role to apply a holistic perspective and promote meaningful occupations. Further research would increase the understanding how computer gaming affects youths’ occupational balance and health.

Verksamheten Spindeln i Västerås vänder sig till personer med så kallad dubbeldiagnos, människor med psykisk sjukdom och samtida missbruksproblematik. Syfte med denna studie var att söka kunskap om vad klienterna med så kallad dubbeldiagnos på verksamheten Spindeln upplevde som meningsfull sysselsättning, samt om verksamheten Spindeln bidrog till att klienterna upplevde sig inneha någon form av meningsfull sysselsättning. Empirin insamlades genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem klienter från Spindeln. De teorier som behandlades var känslan av sammanhang (KASAM), stigma samt socialt kapital. Dessa teorier användes till att tolka empirin tillsammans med tidigare forskning inom området psykisk sjukdom och meningsfull sysselsättning. Studiens resultat visade på betydelsen av att ha något att göra om dagarna, att meningsfull sysselsättning innebar en sorts trygghet i vardagen som medförde struktur och mening. Att ha ett socialt sammanhang att delta i var även det av mycket stor vikt enligt studiens deltagare samt en strategi för att undvika att hamna i psykos. Meningsfull sysselsättning var mycket individuellt och varierade beroende på respondenternas livssituation i relation till ålder, sjukdom, erfarenhet och visioner. Resultatet visade att Spindelns verksamhet upplevdes som meningsfull av deltagarna. / The activity Spindeln in Västerås is a project that attempts to deliver daily occupation for clients with dual diagnosis, people diagnosed with a mental disorder and a contemporary substance abuse. The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to gain knowledge about what Spindeln's dual diagnosis clients experience as meaningful occupation. The purpose was also to examine if Spindeln contributes to making its clients experience meaningful occupation.  The empirical material was based on qualitative and semi-structured interviews with five clients of Spindeln. The conceptual framework was based on concepts such as sense of coherence (SOC), stigma and social capital. This theories was used mainly to interpret empirical material together with earlier research regarding mental disorder and meaningful occupation. The findings of the study indicated that meaningful daily occupation was very important for dual diagnosis patients because it provides them with a feeling of safety which led to structured and meaningful days. Also the study indicated that having social connection to participate in, and a strategy to avoid a state of psychosis, was of great importance to the clients at Spindeln. Meaningful occupation turned out to be highly individual depending on variables such as age, disease, experiences and visions. The findings also indicated that Spindeln was meaningful according the clients.

Introduction: Primary care in Flanders is undergoing reform. Researchers are looking at ways to understand the context in order to be able to implement person-centred and goal-oriented care approaches such as reablement. Aim: The aim was to illuminate the lived experiences of older people with chronic conditions and what it means to receive paid care at home. Method: Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, this study aimed to understand the lived experience of someone living at home receiving paid care. Results: Six in depth interviews were analysed generating nine themes and related subthemes. Conclusions: The study illuminated the experiences of six people who received care at home and generated themes around autonomy, adaptability, respect, identity, flexibility, self determination, power, acceptance, and control that reflected the literature and concepts around person-centred and goal-oriented care as well as the importance of the role of occupational therapy. Significance: In the Flemish context, this was the first study looking at the experiences of people living at home with paid care and the chances and barriers to reablement and occupational therapy in the community setting.

Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Participation in meaningful occupations is what defines us as human beings and is an important indicator of health and well-being. It is the way we experience the world around us and is closely linked to quality of life. As an occupational therapist at a school for learners with special educational needs, the researcher was interested in how young adults with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (CP) who attended this school, experience their participation or the lack thereof in occupations and if it contributes to meaning and fulfilment in their lives? She established through informal conversation with some of these young adults or their parents, that they experience unemployment, unhappiness and poor integration within the community. The aim of this study was therefore to describe how young adults living with CP in economically disadvantaged communities within the Western Cape, experience the quality of their participation in meaningful occupations. A qualitative phenomenological study design was used, enabling the researcher to explore the value and meaning participants attach to different occupations, the participants perceptions of their experience and the factors impacting on their participation. The study population was young adults between the ages of 18-28 years with a diagnosis of CP, who attended the previously mentioned school and who exited school over the duration of the past nine years. The researcher used purposive maximum variation sampling, to ensure variation in terms of diagnosis, living arrangements, employment and marital status. Data collection took the form of ten face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews and inductive content analysis was utilized to analyse data. The following four themes emerged from the data: overcoming challenges; having equal opportunities; barriers holding me back and the future is mine to shape. These young adults participated in a variety of meaningful occupations and have learned to utilize various strategies to overcome the difficulties they faced in this process. The following factors influenced their participation positively: having meaningful relationships; accepting their disability and nurturing a positive attitude; being proud of their achievements; positive work experiences and involvement in the community. Factors contributing to these young adults not experiencing meaningful participation were the following: their perception of themselves and also how they perceived being treated by others; non-acceptance of their physical circumstances and disability; incompetence and poor self-confidence; termination of previously meaningful occupations; challenges with interpersonal relationships and unsatisfactory work experiences. The need to be as independent as possible was of utmost importance to all these young adults, as it was an indicator of being in control of their own lives. Given the above information, the researcher recommends a transition preparation program for senior phase learners that will include sessions on work habits, social skills, transportation, self-employment and integration into the community to be implemented at the school. Supported employment options should be explored as well to ensure maximum employment among these learners exiting school. A follow-up system should be established to evaluate the effectiveness of the above-mentioned program. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Deelname in betekenisvolle aktiwiteite is uniek aan die mens en is ook ‘n belangrike aanduiding van gesondheid en welstand. Ons ervaar die wêreld rondom ons deur betekenisvolle deelname, was nou verbind word kwaliteit van lewe. Tydens haar werk as ‘n arbeidsterpeut by ‘n skool vir leerders met spesiale onderrig behoeftes, het die navorser begin belangstel in hoe jongmense met ‘n diagnose van serebraalgestremdheid (wat oudleerders is) hulle deelname aan aktiwiteite of die gebrek daaraan ervaar en of dit bydra tot betekenisvolheid en vervulling in hulle lewens. Sy het deur informele gesprekke met van hierdie jongmense of hul ouers vasgestel dat hulle ervaring ongelukkig, werkloos and swak geïntegreed in hulle gemeenskap is. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om te beskryf hoe jongmense met ‘n diagnose van serebraalgestremdheid wat in ekonomies benadeelde gemeenskappe binne the Weskaapse Provinsie woon, die kwaliteit van hul deelname aan betekenisvolle aktiwiteite ervaar. Die navorser het ‘n kwalitatiewe fenomenologiese studie ontwerp gebruik sodat sy die volgende aspekte kon verken: die waarde en betekenis wat die studie deelnemers aan spesifieke aktiwiteite heg; hulle persepsie van hulle ervaringe, asook die faktore wat deelname beïnvloed. Die studiepopulasie was jongmense tussen die ouderdomme van 18-28 jaar oud met ‘n diagnose van serebraalgestremdheid, wat die bogenoemde skool bygewoon en verlaat het in die afgelope nege jaar. Die navorser het ‘n doelgerigte maksimum variasie steekproef gebruik, om sodoende variasie in terme van diagnose, verblyf, werk en getroude status te verseker. Data was ingesamel deur middel van tien semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude. Induktiewe inhoud-analise was gebruik om die data te ontleed en die volgende vier temas het na vore gekom naamlik: om uitdagings te oorkom; om gelyke geleenthede te hê; hindernisse wat my terughou en die toekoms is myne om te vorm. Hierdie jongmense neem deel aan ’n groot verskeidenheid aktiwiteite en het deur ondervinding verskeie strategieë aangeleer om die probleme wat hulle ervaar het te oorkom. Die volgende faktore het hulle deelname positief beïnvloed: betekenisvolle interpersoonlike verhoudings; aanvaarding van hulle gestremdheid en koestering van ‘n positiewe houding; trots op hulle prestasies; positiewe werkservaringe en betrokkenheid in hulle gemeenskap. Die faktore wat bygedrae het tot swak deelname aan aktiwiteite was die volgende: hul self-persepsie, asook hul persepsie van hoe ander hulle behandel; nie-aanvaarding van hulle gestremdheid en fisiese omstandighede; swak selfvertroue en gevoelens van onbevoegdheid; die staking van vorige betekenisvolle aktiwiteite; uitdagings in hulle verhoudings en onbevredigende werkservaringe. Hul onafhanklikheid is vir hierdie jongmense van uiterste belang, want dit is ‘n aanduiding dat hulle in beheer is van hulle eie lewens. Na aanleiding van bogenoemde informasie, maak die narvorser die volgende aanbeveling: Om ‘n voorbereidings program vir senior fase leerders te begin, wat sessies van werksgewoontes, sosiale vaardighede, transport, self-indiensneming en integrasie in die gemeenskap insluit. Die moontlikheid van ondersteunde indiensneming moet ook verken word, om maksimale indiensneming onder hierdie jongmense te verseker. ‘n Opvolg sisteem moet ook in plek gestel word om die doeltreffendheid van bogenoemde program te bepaal.