Dimensions of social rehabilitation: A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis

Abstract

Summary Social rehabilitation is conceived to encompass services that concentrate specifically on the social aspect of the rehabilitation process. This interpretive qualitative meta-synthesis of 25 social scientific research papers published between 1980 and 2019 dealing with the concept of social rehabilitation aims to unpack the different dimensions of the social within social rehabilitation in different contexts. Findings In most of the articles, the causes for social rehabilitation are located in the rehabilitee’s social environment, community, or structure, and for the rehabilitation to be successful, a change is expected to take place also in these parties. Moreover, personally significant values and wishes are emphasized in many approaches viewing the rehabilitee as an agent in his/her own rehabilitation process. In a few articles, however, the individual is viewed as aberrant, and his/her conforming to societal norms is seen as forming the core of social rehabilitation. In this approach, the individual is viewed as the object of rehabilitation without much control over his/her own rehabilitation process. Applications The results of our study suggest that, to improve existing social rehabilitation practices, more effort should be put into acknowledging and considering the rehabilitee’s autonomy as a relational concept. Also, the needs for, foci, and aims of social rehabilitation should not be reduced to a certain kind of practice directed to certain kinds of client groups, but, rather, social rehabilitation should be understood as an entity consisting of interrelated and interdependent components forming a constantly shifting assemblage.

Preventing adolescents’ social exclusion with serious games – a scoping review

“…In addition, rapid development of technology ensures better quality of serious games, which makes playing more compelling. Kataja et al (2022) described that social rehabilitation aims to facilitate interaction between individuals and their environment, and this is where serious games could be utilized. Even though the use of serious games in preventing social exclusion is very limited, there can be found potential areas where serious games could be utilized, such as in social assessment, job hunting, solving relationships or communication problems and recreational activities and outings (Kataja et.…”

“…It is also crucial that games exist that can measure everyday behavioral executive functioning. Serious games used in social work or social rehabilitation can facilitate interaction between the players and the environment (Kataja et al, 2022), which may promote managing daily life, social interaction and overall activity, including job- or training-seeking.…”

“…According to Kataja et al (2022), the concept of social rehabilitation refers to the services that concentrate specifically on the social aspect of the rehabilitation process. The aim of social rehabilitation is to increase human well-being by strengthening opportunities and facilitating the interaction between individuals and their environment (Kataja et al, 2022). Moreover, social rehabilitation often involves corrective work, but it also seeks to prevent social exclusion.…”

“…Social rehabilitation may take place through services and activities, such as social assessment, therapy, counseling and coaching, educative groups, vocational training, job hunting, solving relationships or communication problems and recreational activities and outings. Two distinct client groups of social rehabilitation are patients with a clear medical diagnosis or an impairment, which affects their social life, and people with various psycho-social problems that may stem from a difficult background or socially unconventional behavior (Kataja et al, 2022). A bio-psycho-social approach with interprofessional collaboration may play an important role in social rehabilitation services (Saia et al, 2020).…”

Developing Web-based Practical Procedure Guidance for Social Rehabilitation in The Society 5.0 Era

“…environment, or social structure, and a change in these parties is seen as a pivotal component of social rehabilitation (Kataja, Lantela, & Romakkaniemi, 2022).…”