원예활동프로그램이 정신지체청소년의 원예작업 수행능력과 손기능 향상에 미치는 효과

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a horticultural program on improving horticulture job performance and manual skills of adolescents with mental retardation. This study was conducted following the one group pretest-posttest experimental design. The subjects were nine students with mental retardation at a special school in Gwangju metropolitan city. In this study, dependent variables were as follows: (a) efficiency in horticulture-relevant skills, (b) proficiency in horticulture-relevant skills, (c) manual dexterity, (d) grip, and (e) pinch strength. For this study, the researcher developed a horticulture program based on the vocational area of the Seventh Special School Curriculum with the aim of improving the fine motor skills and proficiency and efficiency in horticulture-related jobs. He implemented the program from April 6 to July 16 in the year of 2004, 80 minutes per session and two sessions a week for a total of 29 sessions. Data were analyzed using the dependent t-test at the significance level of five percent in one-tailed direction. The horticulture program was found to have significant effects on improving efficiency and proficiency, respectively, in horticulture-relevant skills. It was also found to significantly increase the manual dexterity in left hand, in right hand, in both hands, but not in assembly. The horticulture program was not, however, shown to be effective in increasing the grip and pinch strength of students with mental retardation from pretest to posttest.