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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80333 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Pieterse, Gisele Shaline |
| Contributors | Vlok, E. D., Bester, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Occupational Therapy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 75 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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