Lifeskills After Substance Abuse Treatment Program Development

Shea Aldana, OTS and Myles Watkins, OTS

University of Utah MOT class of 2020

Background: According to a nationwide 2017 survey, 19.7 million American Self Efficacy Theory (Betz & Schifano, 2000)
adults fought a substance use disorder (National Survey Drug Use and Health,
Component Description Relevant Intervention
2018). Drug and alcohol addiction have continued to become a growing problem in
the United States, negatively impacting individuals’ psychosocial functioning, Vicarious Experience Observing someone Instructors demonstrate each
mental health, physical health, employment, self-care/parenting skills and else perform the task task, provide successful
relationships. Many treatment centers consist of limited lecture-based style examples
classes and therapy sessions, overlooking important skills that are applicable to
life after treatment such as financial management, continuing education and job Performance Experiencing success Instructors provide opportunities
skills (Rojo-Mota, 2017). Relapse is often considered a normal part of the recovery Accomplishments with tasks to develop and practice life skills
process, with the rate for a relapse ranging between 40% and 60% (National
Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). In order to support individuals after treatment and Verbal Persuasion Encouragement from Support and encouragement
decrease the rate of relapse, the proposed program provides graduates of others from peers and instructors
substance abuse treatment with opportunities to set goals, learn life skills, practice
life skills and gain support from other individuals working towards success.
Emotional Arousal Being in an optimal Relaxation and stress
Objectives: The purpose of this project was to develop and incorporate the physiological state management techniques taught
Lifeskills program within the currently established Aftercare program in an effort to (e.g., low stress, low
decrease the relapse rate for graduates from this program. This includes anxiety)
educating staff, implementing the program, and gathering feedback from those
involved with the program. PEO (Law et al., 1996)
Component Description Relevant Intervention
Program Design: The Lifeskills incorporation into the Aftercare program will Person Role, self-concept, 8 weekly classes will focus on increasing an
consist of eight weeks of education/training led by an occupational therapist, with cultural background, individual’s skills and capacity to successfully
each class lasting 90 minutes. Topics of the classes will include life skills such as personality, health, apply life skills as well as support positive
employment, schooling, childcare, financial management, health management, cognition, physical self-concept and role changes as an individual
leisure exploration, and additional topics as appropriate. performance, and may change roles from home provider to
sensory capabilities student or employee. We want to give these
Program Evaluation: Qualitative and quantitative, pre and post surveys on women the personal tools to be self-sufficient
client’s self-confidence and resilience towards life skills. We will also be conducting in their daily occupations.
anonymous relapse surveys to participants in order to compare the results
Environment Physical, cultural, Instructors will provide a safe environment for
between alumni who have attended the program to those who have not.
institutional, social, clients to practice life skills such as job
Conclusion: The Lifeskills component to the Aftercare program is intended to and socio-economic interviewing, scholarship applications, as well
provide the women in the program with the necessary skills, education, and environment as assist in navigating new job/school
resources to assist them in sustaining sobriety outside House of Hope including an environments. The program is also intended to
improvement in their overall well-being and life satisfaction. Current aftercare provide an environment where an individual’s
treatment focuses strongly on the support aspect, with very little room to address create a support group where they keep one
another accountable for their actions and
establishing important life skills within their daily routines. Future development into
behaviors and have someone to rely on when
the program will be evaluated through consistent feedback from staff, participants,
needed.
and stakeholders in order to address any flaws in the program and create
Occupation The groups of tasks Instructors will grade life skill activities
consistent improvement.
that a person according to individual needs and provide
engages in and opportunities for clients to choose meaningful
References
Betz, N. E., & Schifano, R. S. (2000). Evaluation of an intervention to increase realistic self-efficacy and interests in college women. Journal of meets his/her life advancement occupations. The goal is to
Vocational Behavior, 56(1), 35–52. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1999.1690
self-maintenance, address what barriers are preventing them
Law, M., Cooper, B., Strong, S., Stewart, D., Rigby, P., Letts, L. (1996). The Person-Environment-Occupation Model: A transactive approach to
occupational performance. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63, 9–23. expression, and from participating in healthy occupations, as
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction. Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction
fulfillment. well as coping strategies to prevent unhealthy
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from occupations.
the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-nsduh- annual-national-report.
Rojo-Mota, G., Pedrero-Perez, E., & Huertas-Hoyas, E. (2017). Systematic review of occupational therapy in the treatment of addiction: Models,
practice, and qualitative and quantitative research. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(5).