Exploring forensic psychiatric patients’ subjective experiences of whether a social and therapeutic horticulture intervention assists with their recovery from a serious mental illness
Date
2024-12
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
Social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) has been well-documented as a viable intervention for the treatment of serious mental illness internationally. There is a dearth of similar research into STH in the South African context. This study used a qualitative research design to explore forensic psychiatric patients' experiences of whether an STH intervention assisted with their recovery from a serious mental illness. Criterion sampling was used to recruit participants from the adult forensic psychiatric wards at a psychiatric hospital in the Western Cape province. All of the participants were living with a serious mental illness although only five were able to name their mental illness as either schizophrenia (n=3) or bipolar disorder (n=2). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of this study reveal that participants had predominantly positive experiences of the STH project. They reported feeling happy and relaxed and stress-free in the garden as well as physically and mentally stimulated by the range of tasks that they performed in the garden. Involvement in the STH project helped the participants to develop a sense of identity that was separate from their mental illness as they identified themselves as gardeners through their involvement in the project. The participants’ explanatory models of their mental illness were also explored and their responses were congruent with the existing literature. Casual explanations for their mental illnesses included a genetic predisposition, environmental factors, substance abuse and injuries to the brain. Other key themes that emerged from the data were the importance of social connections with fellow gardeners and staff members as well as a sense of hope for their future. Through working in the garden the participants were able to have an optimistic outlook for their future, including their lives outside of the hospital. The findings of this study demonstrate that STH has many positive effects for participants and that these effects can contribute
positively towards recovery from a serious mental illness. This research is furthering our understanding of how STH interventions may be utilized as a cost-effective intervention for the treatment of mental illness within the South African context. The findings of this study suggest that STH can be successfully applied as an intervention within a forensic psychiatric setting. However, further research is required to determine the feasibility of this intervention in other contexts. Further studies should include a mixed-methods design with a larger sample size and could include the perspectives of healthcare workers as well as participants.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.