Effectiveness of Community Occupational Therapy Intervention in, with and from the Community in People with Disabilities in Azrou (Morocco)

Abstract

In Morocco, the social and environmental context influences the volition and development of meaningful activities, creating physical, personal and social barriers to the occupational performance of people with disabilities. This study develops a community Occupational Therapy program in order to verify its effectiveness in the volition, quality of life and perceived self-stigma of people with disabilities in the Moroccan city of Azrou, and to reduce the stigma of the community towards people with disabilities in the city. Data were collected from people with disabilities who participated in the program (N = 52), using the Volitional Questionnaire (VQ), The World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF), the Stigma Awareness Questionnaire (SCQ) and an ad hoc interview. In addition, community stigma was assessed by the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) in citizens without disabilities (N = 42). Results confirmed that this intervention favors the inclusion of people with disabilities in their closest environment, improving volition and quality of life and reducing self-stigma. Furthermore, the community’s stigma towards people with disabilities was also significantly reduced after the intervention.