Ações de terapeutas ocupacionais na atenção à pessoa com problemas relacionados ao uso de álcool e outras drogas

This exploratory descriptive study aimed to characterize the interventions of occupational therapists in substance abuse treatment centers, identifying the form and frequency of sessions and mapping the major activities and their objectives. The study subjects were obtained through the Snowball Sampling technique, eleven participating occupational therapists working in seven states. Data collection occurred from October to December 2011 through self-explanatory and self-administered structured questionnaires developed by the authors, which inquired the\udprofessionals interviewed about their training (undergraduate and graduate courses; time working in the field of chemical dependency) and professional performance (form and frequency of sessions, criteria governing the choice of form and frequency of sessions, activities most frequently used in the sessions, and key objectives to be achieved with the development of such activities). It was possible to verify that individual and group sessions are performed of twice a week or more often. The most developed activities are self-expressive and manual activities and those related to health education, self-care, and reorganization of everyday life. The goals most frequently reported were\udrecovery of personal and social values; reframing the activities of everyday life; expansion of the co-responsibility of families in the treatments; expression of feelings and internal conflicts; and enjoyment of relaxation and leisure moments. We conclude that varied behavior occurs among the professionals with respect to their practice, indicating the different philosophical and methodological conceptions involved in this process