“VelaMente?!” - Sailin in a Crew to Improve Self-Efficacy in People with Psychosocial Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Introduction:It has been proposed that sailing can improve quality of life, personal and social skills of people with severe psychosocial disabilities. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a psychosocial rehabilitative intervention focused on sailing on quality of life, self-efficacy and sense of coherence in people with severe psychosocial disabilities.Methods:The study was a randomized, with parallel groups, waiting-list controlled trial. Participants were 51 people with severe psychosocial disabilities. The intervention was a structured course to learn sailing in a crew lasting three months. A randomized group began the sailing course immediately after a pre-treatment assessment; the waitlist group began the sailing course after a three months period of treatments as usual. Participants were assessed before and after the sailing course, or the waiting list period, on the General Self-Efficacy scale (GSES), Sense Of Coherence scale (SOC) and Health Survey-short form (SF-12).Results:Self-efficacy significantly increased after the sailing course and decreased after treatment as usual (p=0.015). Sense of coherence and the levels of quality of life tended to improve after the sailing course, albeit below levels of statistical significance.Conclusion:When compared to more traditional psychosocial rehabilitative activities, an intervention focused on sailing in a crew positively impacts the sense of coherence and the levels of quality of life and significantly improves self-efficacy of people with severe psychosocial disabilities. Further longitudinal research is required.

The Effects of “VelaMente?!” Project on Social Functioning of People With Severe Psychosocial Disabilities

“…As already pointed out [ 43 ], the main differences between the current and the past study [ 41 , 42 ] are: the enrollment of a larger sample for the intervention (N 64 instead of N 40); the promotion of the attenders’ social skills in a supportive and no-stigmatizing environment, such as a sailing school sited in a popular touristic harbor and the contiguous open sea; and the focus on a more structured group physical activity (a 3 months-lasting course to learn sailing in a crew adapted to the needs of each participant, with the employment of sailing teachers and mental health operators; the choice of two regular sailboats usually used by professional sailors’ crews).…”

“…The course to learn sailing in a crew proposed by “VelaMente? !” project had two peculiar features: a) it was conducted by sailing teachers and facilitated by mental health operators, and, b), lessons took place at the harbor and the sea, relatively far from the mental health services where usually recruited subjects were treated for their usual cares [ 43 ]. Hence, as already pointed out [ 41 , 42 , 56 ], it is possible that this kind of outdoor physical activity intervention could positively impact the daily management of the psychosocial disability, in particular as far as psychopathological symptoms, improving social functioning and enhancing great levels of satisfaction about cares in people with psychosocial disabilities were concerned.…”

“…The methodology (randomized waitlist-controlled trial with parallel groups; inclusion/exclusion criteria for recruitment; randomization procedure; assessment timing) and the interventions were already described in detail in the companion publication about the psychosocial rehabilitative program “VelaMente? !” [ 43 ].…”

“…In order to confirm and extend the findings of a previous study about the efficacy of sailing on psychopathological symptoms and social functioning in people with severe psychosocial disabilities [ 41 , 42 ], our group established the project “VelaMente? !”, a rehabilitative intervention focused on the promotion of physical activity (sailing in a crew) in people with severe psychosocial disabilities [ 43 ]. The main findings of the previous study [ 41 , 42 ] concerned a statistically significant improvement of the clinical status (p < 0.0001, assessed by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale - BPRS), the social functioning (p < 0.0001, assessed by HoNOS Scale) and the quality of life (p < 0.001, assessed by WHOQOL-Bref) of people with severe psychosocial disabilities attending a rehabilitative intervention focused on sailing when compared to a control group.…”

Tailored Sailing Experience to Reduce Psychological Distress and Improve the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Survey-Based Pilot Study

“…Interestingly, it has recently been proposed that the practice of sailing may be useful to improve the psychophysical well-being and QoL of people with disabilities [14][15][16][17]. Sailing is a complex activity that involves the perception/integration of both exteroceptive and proprioceptive stimuli owing to the fact that it is practiced in a stimulating environment, such as the sea or a lake [16].…”