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Farming or horticultural therapy includes an assortment of
activities, ranging from plant cultivation to the appreciation of
landscape. The effectiveness of this therapy was proved by a study
on farming therapy to improve the quality of life of people with
physical and mental challenges through horticulture. The work ranged from techniques
of plant cultivation to landscape designs suitable for a wide range
of people, including those with developmental delays, learning
difficulties, physical challenges, the frail and the elderly.
Research and study on the effects of the
gardening program on the persons with mental challenges were assessed on the
inadaptive behavior and social maturity in many countries.
The results were as follows:
1. Persons with
developmental delays treated with the
gardening program for 1 to 2 years and more showed an
improvement of the inadaptive behavior as compared to the
pre-gardening program. The second (enervation and social
isolation) and fourth (the excessive behavior and the deviant
behavior) sects among the four of the Inadaptive Behavior
Checklist showed an improvement in the inadaptive behavior. The first section (crying, excitement, and anger) of the Inadaptive
Behavior Checklist greatly showed improvement of the inadaptive
behavior.
2. Persons with
developmental delays were
improved in their social maturity through the gardening program
for 1 to 2 years as compared with pre-gardening program. Both a
social age and social quotient were quite a bit increased.
3. Females showed an improvement in the
inadaptive behavior and the social maturity by the gardening
program when compared to males, but the difference between male
and female was not striking.
4. Both the higher IQ group from 55 to 70 and
the lower IQ group from 40 to 54 showed improvement in the
inadaptive behavior by the gardening program, but the difference
between the two groups was not obvious. However, the higher IQ
group through the program increased the social maturity more than
the lower IQ group.
5. In both the gardening program periods for 1 to 1 year and more
months and those for 2 years and 2 months, the inadaptive behavior
and the social maturity showed an improvement when compared to
pre- gardening program, but the difference between the two groups
was not conspicuous.
Mail to NIDD for more information on farming
therapy.
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