TOKEN ECONOMY APPROACH AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: A SHORT REPORT FOR PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

The purpose of this study is to provide a short report concerning token economy system application in psychiatry units and connect this approach with physical activity programming, as an effective way to promote psychological benefits, skills and exercise behavior of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions: Token economy combined with physical activity can be a useful non-pharmaceutical approach that helps patients with schizophrenia to improve psychological aspects and quality of life. Article visualizations

INTERVENTION APPROACHES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN ORDINARY SCHOOL TO ENHANCE SOCIAL INTERACTION IN A STUDENT WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER: A CASE STUDY

Co-education of students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during the lesson of Physical Education (PE) in the Greek School constitutes contemporary educational reality. However, its success depends on many factors, with the most important being the effective employment of cooperative physical education methods for students with disabilities or no disabilities. The purpose of this case study was to analyze the impact of a physical education intervention program on the reinforcement of the social interaction of a student with ASD, aged 10, in the ordinary school. The intervention exercise program included the following specific educational approaches and intervention strategies: a) game with the support of an adult (adult support game) b) integrated playgroups with guided involvement (Integrated Play Groups Model) and c) games between peers providing a model to imitate. The duration of the program was eight weeks, with a frequency of three times per week, each lesson of PE (Physical Education) lasting 45 minutes. The data collection tools that were used in the pre-intervention program were the semi-structured interview and the «Autism Social Skills Profile» scale (Bellini & Hopf, 2007), which was adapted in the Greek Language by Syriopoulou- Delli, Agaliotis and Papaefstathiou (2016). It was used before and after the intervention. The results of the research study showed that the student with ASD had positive experiences through his relationship with his classmates, increased his level of participation in the lesson of Physical Education (PE) throughout the implementation of the intervention program, and improved his social reciprocity through interaction and collaboration with his peers, without displaying improper or detrimental social behavior patterns. Article visualizations

THE EFFECT OF A GOAL SETTING EXERCISE PROGRAM ON IMPROVING UPPER BODY STRENGTH, LOWER EXTREMITY STRENGTH, BALANCE AND COMMITMENT TO EXERCISE OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

The purpose was to examine the effect of goal setting on improving upper body strength, lower extremity strength and balance of individuals with schizophrenia and to monitor the effect of goal setting toward commitment to exercise of schizophrenia patients. The sample consisted of four patients with schizophrenia, aged 48 to 58 years old, all randomly selected and separated into two groups (control and experiment). All patients were already involved in exercising twice per week of 45 minutes each session, within psychiatry hospital premises. Additional goals for experimental group individuals included two extra 10-15 minutes of workout per week to improve post measure results. Instruments used prior and after the application of the goal setting intervention program included the Five times sit to stand test, the Arm curl test and the Time up and go test. Results showed that participants of the experiment group improved their performance in all post measures while control group individuals also improved their scores in two out of the three tests used in this study. Although no generalizations can be made due to the small sample of this study, goal setting seems to have the potential to promote exercise commitment and adoption in patients with schizophrenia.  Article visualizations

The effect of a physical activity and token economy system program on improving quality of life, mood profile, self-image and self-esteem of patients with schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an exercise program onpsychological factors of patients with schizophrenia. Thirty (30) patients withschizophrenia separated in three groups (control group, experiment group A andexperiment group B) of 10 individuals, took part in an eight weeks exerciseprogram combining physical activity with token economy behavioral treatment.Data included the use of SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ), theinstrument Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Body-Cathexis Scale and theRosenberg Self-Esteem Scale which were selected and administered prior, during,and after application of the exercise program, as well three months after thecompletion of the exercise program (follow up). Experiment group B participantsas compared to those of the experiment group A and control group individualsfound at the end of the exercise program as experiencing less problems with dailyactivities, felling more energetic and vigorous leading to an improved mentalcomponent score, less depressed and less confused leading to an improved totalmood score and with higher self-esteem referring to less psychological distress andsocial limitations. Overall, findings are encouraging concerning the effect of acombined exercise and token economy program on improving psychologicalaspects of patients with schizophrenia.Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν να εξετάσει την επίδραση ενός προγράμματοςάσκησης μέτριας έντασης στη βελτίωση ψυχολογικών παραγόντων ατόμων μεσχιζοφρένεια. Τριάντα (30) ασθενείς με σχιζοφρένεια χωρίστηκαν σε τρεις ομάδες(ομάδα ελέγχου, πειραματική ομάδα A και πειραματική ομάδα B) των 10 ατόμων ηκάθε μία και συμμετείχαν σε ένα πρόγραμμα άσκησης οκτώ (8) εβδομάδωνσυνδυασμένο με ένα σύστημα ανταλλάξιμων αμοιβών θεραπείας τηςσυμπεριφοράς. Για τη συλλογή των δεδομένων χρησιμοποιήθηκε τοερωτηματολόγιο ποιότητας ζωής (SF-36) QLQ, το ερωτηματολόγιο του ΠροφίλΕπιπέδων Διάθεσης (POMS), η κλίμακα Σωματικής Κάθεξης (Body-CathexisScale) και η κλίμακα αυτοεκτίμησης (Rosenberg Self – Esteem Scale) τα οποίαδόθηκαν στους συμμετέχοντες πριν, κατά τη διάρκεια, στο τέλος τουπρογράμματος άσκησης καθώς και τρεις μήνες μετά την ολοκλήρωση τουπρογράμματος άσκησης. Οι συμμετέχοντες της πειραματικής ομάδας Bσυγκρινόμενοι με εκείνους της πειραματικής ομάδας Α καθώς και την ομάδαελέγχου διαπιστώθηκε στο τέλος του προγράμματος άσκησης ότι είχαν λιγότεραπροβλήματα με τις καθημερινές τους δραστηριότητες, αισθάνονταν μεγαλύτερηενεργητικότητα και πιο δυνατοί που οδηγεί σε ένα βελτιωμένο γενικό δείκτηψυχικής υγείας, επίσης αισθάνονταν λιγότερη κατάθλιψη και σύγχυση καιυψηλότερη αυτοεκτίμηση που σχετίζεται με χαμηλότερη ψυχολογική δυσφορία καικοινωνικούς περιορισμούς. Συνολικά, τα συμπεράσματα είναι ενθαρρυντικά όσοναφορά την επίδραση του συνδυασμένου προγράμματος άσκησης και τουσυστήματος ανταλλάξιμων αμοιβών για τη βελτίωση των ψυχολογικώνπαραμέτρων των ασθενών που πάσχουν από σχιζοφρένεια