Assessing the potential of submaximal extended duration exercise as an adjunct treatment for sub-acute schizophrenic in-patients: a pilot study
- Authors: Munnik, James Barry
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises -- Therapeutic use , Schizophrenia , Schizophrenia -- Treatment , Exercise therapy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3029 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002538 , Aerobic exercises -- Therapeutic use , Schizophrenia , Schizophrenia -- Treatment , Exercise therapy
- Description: Research into the therapeutic potential of aerobic exercise has proven fruitful over the past few years; however, no true experimental research undertakings have investigated the psychological benefits of aerobic exercise with schizophrenic semi-acute in-patients. The main objective of this thesis was to seek out evidence for the possibility that aerobic (submaximal long duration) exercise could be considered an adjunct treatment for hospitalised schizophrenic in-patients. In order to accomplish this objective the effects of a 45-minute walking programme, completed three days a week, for five weeks, was investigated. Various areas of mental health were explored in search of evidence of the therapeutic potential of aerobic exercise. These areas included, amongst other things: transfer and discharge rates, improvements in mood levels - Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, and Brown, 1996) Xhosa version; decreasing of anxiety levels (Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck and Steer, 1993), Xhosa version); improved Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF; DSM-IV), Scale Scores; and decreases in the number of symptoms patients exhibited. 22 schizophrenic inpatients were randomly selected for this study and randomly assigned to either an aerobic (long duration submaximal) treatment group or (primarily anaerobic) control group. Results revealed that statistical significance could not be found in any of the treatment group's t-test results; despite the treatment group generally bordering on significance more so than the control group. Out of the five variables studied (Positive Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, BAI, BDI-II, and GAF Scale) three variables (Negative Symptoms, BDI-II, and GAF Scale) in the treatment group bordered more on significance than did the control group. Thus three (60 %) out of the five areas studied revealed that the treatment group had more significant results. This suggests an overall impression that the treatment group responded slightly better. The Researcher recommended that aerobic exercise therapy be considered a treatment protocol in psychiatric institutions and offered further suggestions pertaining to the effective implementation of these programmes. Included in these recommendations were motivational strategies and warnings about the possible negative effects of exercise therapy. A supplemental goal of this thesis was to explore all of the previously offered theoretical psychological mechanisms of positive mental change; and to seek out evidence, for or against these forces. Participants were given pre- and post- treatment quantitative interviews; as well as, qualitative posttreatment interviews where their phenomenological responses were analysed to seek out evidence of these mechanisms. Evidence of various causative factors was found and a new theoretical mechanism was proposed in this thesis.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Munnik, James Barry
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises -- Therapeutic use , Schizophrenia , Schizophrenia -- Treatment , Exercise therapy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3029 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002538 , Aerobic exercises -- Therapeutic use , Schizophrenia , Schizophrenia -- Treatment , Exercise therapy
- Description: Research into the therapeutic potential of aerobic exercise has proven fruitful over the past few years; however, no true experimental research undertakings have investigated the psychological benefits of aerobic exercise with schizophrenic semi-acute in-patients. The main objective of this thesis was to seek out evidence for the possibility that aerobic (submaximal long duration) exercise could be considered an adjunct treatment for hospitalised schizophrenic in-patients. In order to accomplish this objective the effects of a 45-minute walking programme, completed three days a week, for five weeks, was investigated. Various areas of mental health were explored in search of evidence of the therapeutic potential of aerobic exercise. These areas included, amongst other things: transfer and discharge rates, improvements in mood levels - Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, and Brown, 1996) Xhosa version; decreasing of anxiety levels (Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck and Steer, 1993), Xhosa version); improved Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF; DSM-IV), Scale Scores; and decreases in the number of symptoms patients exhibited. 22 schizophrenic inpatients were randomly selected for this study and randomly assigned to either an aerobic (long duration submaximal) treatment group or (primarily anaerobic) control group. Results revealed that statistical significance could not be found in any of the treatment group's t-test results; despite the treatment group generally bordering on significance more so than the control group. Out of the five variables studied (Positive Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, BAI, BDI-II, and GAF Scale) three variables (Negative Symptoms, BDI-II, and GAF Scale) in the treatment group bordered more on significance than did the control group. Thus three (60 %) out of the five areas studied revealed that the treatment group had more significant results. This suggests an overall impression that the treatment group responded slightly better. The Researcher recommended that aerobic exercise therapy be considered a treatment protocol in psychiatric institutions and offered further suggestions pertaining to the effective implementation of these programmes. Included in these recommendations were motivational strategies and warnings about the possible negative effects of exercise therapy. A supplemental goal of this thesis was to explore all of the previously offered theoretical psychological mechanisms of positive mental change; and to seek out evidence, for or against these forces. Participants were given pre- and post- treatment quantitative interviews; as well as, qualitative posttreatment interviews where their phenomenological responses were analysed to seek out evidence of these mechanisms. Evidence of various causative factors was found and a new theoretical mechanism was proposed in this thesis.
- Full Text:
A phenomenological explication of the artistic creative experience of a painter, a writer and a playwright
- Authors: Lambie, Eileen
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Phenomenology Art -- Philosophy Artists Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004605
- Description: The aim of the thesis was to explore two focus questions using the phenomenological approach. Firstly, what it meant to be an artist for three particular artists; a painter, a writer and a playwright. Secondly, what a general explicitation (after Van Kaam, 1958) of the three subjects' artistic creative experience and working processes revealed in essence. The taped data of the three artists were reduced and explored through a number of phenomenological strategies. This led to the formulation of four essential descriptions for each artist, which were based structurally on Van den Berg's experiential categories in A Different Existence. Thus, the essential descriptions reflect each artist's relationship with his/her world, body, fellow people and time. The final step was the achievement of a general extended description. The major conclusion arising from the phenomenological explication is that art affords a way through which artists are able to live an authentic existence. That is, the body and world of the artist are in harmony and the artist's art roots him in the past, is manifest in the present and indicates the future direction of his work. Another conclusion is that the artist is Janus-faced and this enables him/her to balance subjectivity and objectivity in the Lebenswelt and to communicate what he/she sees to others in a healthy way through art. The artist's relationship with world, body, fellow people and with time, is postulated as being qualitatively richer than that of the nonartist. The two focus questions were successfully answered through the research explication and were validated by two independent judges. The viability of the phenomenological approach in the field of artistic creativity was therefore demonstrated. Suggestions for future research were made, one of which was that more phenomenological research aimed at eliciting specific information on the creation of art works might render more information on the artistic creative process.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Lambie, Eileen
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Phenomenology Art -- Philosophy Artists Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004605
- Description: The aim of the thesis was to explore two focus questions using the phenomenological approach. Firstly, what it meant to be an artist for three particular artists; a painter, a writer and a playwright. Secondly, what a general explicitation (after Van Kaam, 1958) of the three subjects' artistic creative experience and working processes revealed in essence. The taped data of the three artists were reduced and explored through a number of phenomenological strategies. This led to the formulation of four essential descriptions for each artist, which were based structurally on Van den Berg's experiential categories in A Different Existence. Thus, the essential descriptions reflect each artist's relationship with his/her world, body, fellow people and time. The final step was the achievement of a general extended description. The major conclusion arising from the phenomenological explication is that art affords a way through which artists are able to live an authentic existence. That is, the body and world of the artist are in harmony and the artist's art roots him in the past, is manifest in the present and indicates the future direction of his work. Another conclusion is that the artist is Janus-faced and this enables him/her to balance subjectivity and objectivity in the Lebenswelt and to communicate what he/she sees to others in a healthy way through art. The artist's relationship with world, body, fellow people and with time, is postulated as being qualitatively richer than that of the nonartist. The two focus questions were successfully answered through the research explication and were validated by two independent judges. The viability of the phenomenological approach in the field of artistic creativity was therefore demonstrated. Suggestions for future research were made, one of which was that more phenomenological research aimed at eliciting specific information on the creation of art works might render more information on the artistic creative process.
- Full Text:
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