Effects of leisure counseling on adult psychiatric outpatients

This study evaluates the impact of a leisure counseling program on the leisure attitude and self-esteem of adult psychiatric outpatients. Sixteen outpatients at a private psychiatric hospital were assigned to one of two groups. Both groups received traditional outpatient services and programs. The experimental group also received a leisure counseling program that was offered for 10 consecutive weeks. Comparing the adult psychiatric outpatients' group scores to normative data revealed that their leisure attitude and self-esteem were unusual. Over the course of the intervention program, the experimental group relative to the control group experienced no significant change in their leisure attitude and self-esteem. The intervention program did emerge as differentially affecting members of the experimental group depending on their age. A discussion clarifies how leisure counseling and evaluation procedures could be made more appropriate for a psychiatric outpatient population.