治療性園藝活動應用於觀護少年之行動研究

Abstract

少年時期（12歲以上、未滿18歲）正處身心發展尚未成熟階段，一般採取感化教育矯正少年偏差行為。觸法少年在管束期間，身處與外界隔離、活動空間被管控的地方，其身心必有一定的壓力。園藝治療係源於人有親近自然的本能和與植物有極密切之關係。本研究將以植物作為媒介的園藝治療導入少年觀護所的教育課程，透過行動研究方式，探討如何在少年觀護所實施多元化治療性園藝活動，了解觀護少年的體驗及學習狀況與效益分析，探究園藝活動類型與方案設計的適宜性，作為觀護所日後設計與實施園藝活動的參考。研究採用個案心得感想單、問卷和觀察記錄，進行質性和量化評估分析。以每隔週固定時間及場地進行1.5小時園藝活動。活動包括「園藝技術」和「園藝資材應用」兩種類型；每次活動獨立設計，以短期目標為主，最終成果呈現以不超過兩次上課時間為原則。研究結果顯示，有別於其它教室課程，園藝活動課程因能實際動手操作，能改善觀護少年排斥學習或感到無聊的狀況，少年能在活動中暫時忘卻身陷囹圄，心情獲得抒解。園藝活動可以提供少年多種正向情緒體驗，在成功的體驗中，獲得成就感、建立自信心。少年在知識和園藝技能上有所增進、發揮創造力、關心周遭、培養耐心與細心、促發思考、提供未來休閒娛樂或職業上的選擇等，並懂得團隊合作及和他人友善連結。課程內容配合節令和節慶進行，使活動豐富又具變化，提供不同個案需求，並能同時兼顧新舊個案，能降低少年流動率高的影響。活動內容包含講課和操作兩部分，能增加少年學習的廣度和深度。講課時運用有趣名稱、多媒體和問答方式有效吸引少年，操作時以分解步驟及示範帶領、2~4人分組的方式，能提高少年參與度與減少孤立狀況。觀護少年樂於學習，並表示因可以自己動手做、感覺有玩、有趣而喜愛園藝活動並且可投入其中。整體而言，治療性園藝活動方案適宜在觀護所設計實施，可以提供觀護少年生理、心理、教育、社交等方面效益，增加少年被收容期間的正面情緒及行為。

As adolescence (12~18 years of age) is in the stage not fully developed both physically and mentally, probation education is usually adopted to reclaim the juvenile delinquent. Under detention, the juvenile offenders being isolated in a controlled place are subjected to physical and mental stresses. Horticultural therapy is a supervised activity using plants and plant materials, to improve people’s well-being based on our nature-loving and intimate relationship with plants. Whether horticultural therapy program can be incorporated into the probation education curriculum at a juvenile detention house and whether the juvenile delinquents can be benefited to these programs and to what extent? How much these juveniles accept the courses and learn something or what kind of horticultural programs they would prefer? This study is conducted through an action research model to provide these answers and to serve as a reference for future improvement and implementation of horticultural programs in a juvenile correction center. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses are given to collected data from questionnaire, observations and clients’ report. The horticultural activity programs including “basic horticultural technology” and “utilization of gardening materials” are conducted bi-weekly for one and half hour period of time. Each session is designed to be complete in itself or the most after two classes so that the work can be shown within the session. The results show that horticultural activity, different from other classroom programs, offers hand-on experience and helps to stimulate learning. The activity can relieve the juvenile offenders and let forget the status of being under detention temporarily. They would obtain a variety of positive emotional experiences as they get achievements and build self-esteem in successful activity. From the horticultural programs, the juvenile participants obtain plant knowledge and gardening skills, developing creativity and environmental awareness. In a team project they can practice the patience, friendliness, cooperation and carefulness. The program also inspires the clients to actively think of their future career choices and leisure activities. The seasonal project linked to a festival enriches the program with variety and fun, meeting different individuals’ needs and serving flexibility to any client with indefinite length of stay in the program. Each session comprises lecture lesson and hand-on activities to strengthen the students’ learning. Various stimulating techniques are employed for the lecture part to enhance the students’ involvement like giving the session an interesting name, using multimedia and Q & A form. Assigning 2 to 4 clients in an activity group can increase their participation and reduce isolation. The juvenile offenders generally find the horticultural activities fun and interesting. The therapeutic horticultural program in a detention house can provide the juvenile offenders physical, psychological, educational and social benefits, leading them to positive emotion and behavior.