Handcraft Activities during Rehabilitation Program: Perception of Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Handcrafts have been traditionally used from the beginning of the occupational therapy profession. As a part of rehabilitation programs, occupational therapists provide handcraft activities for persons with spinal cord injury to help them pass leisure time meaningfully, improve self-confidence, reduce tension, and engage in joyous activity. The aim of this study is to know the perception of persons with spinal cord injury about handcraft activities during the rehabilitation program. A qualitative study was conducted using face to face interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire. Seven participants were selected by using the purposive sampling method from the Spinal Cord Injury Occupational Therapy In-patient Unit of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed. The authors analyzed the data, using a qualitative content analysis approach. The authors have found that most of the participants have a good understanding of handcraft activities. The majority of the participants enjoy handcraft activities, and they believe handcraft activities are important for them. Most of the participants perform handcraft activities well. The greater part of the participants reports that they need to perform these handcraft activities after returning home. None of the participants have faced any challenge while participating in handicraft activities. Nearly all of the participants have not given any suggestions regarding these handcraft activities although one participant has suggested that handcraft activities should be practiced more widely and applied for all groups of patients. As a person with spinal cord injury gives value to the handcraft activities, it helps to achieve the purpose of the rehabilitation program. Therefore, handcrafts could be practiced in a more structured way.