The Behaviour of Chronic Psychotic Patients During Three Types of Occupation

Abstract

The value of intensive “occupational therapy” in the treatment and social rehabilitation of chronic psychotic patients has long been recognized. There is a large literature, very often only descriptive, but also experimental (cf. for example Grygier and Waters, 1958; Robin, 1958), demonstrating the superior adjustment of patients engaged in various sorts of occupations over those not thus occupied. Whilst however the value of occupation per se may be taken as demonstrated, there are few studies comparing the relative efficacy of different types of occupation in the social adjustment of patients. It is of interest to compare briefly the claims which are sometimes made for these different activities.