Chess as a therapeutic medium in a substance abuse rehabilitation centre

119 Pages·2008·0.3 MB·English

Chess as a therapeutic medium in a substance
abuse rehabilitation centre:
A Narrative study

by

Denise Frick

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the

MA (Counselling Psychology) degree in the
Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria

Supervisor: Dr. L.H. Human

October
2006
DECLARATION

I, Denise Frick, hereby declare that Chess as a therapeutic medium in a substance
abuse rehabilitation centre: A Narrative study is my own work and that this work has
not been submitted at any other tertiary institution for any degree.

Denise Frick
28/09/2006

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I dedicate this work to my good friend Robert who won his battle but was taken from us
too soon. To his parents Steve and Helena, your unconditional love, faith, strength and
determination in your path with Robert were significant. I know that God’s grace and
your trust in Him will always be present in your lives. To Annette, Charles and Helene,
may you always carry Robert’s true spirit in your hearts.

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OPSOMMING

Hierdie navorsingsprojek is ’n narratiewe studie wat handel oor die gebruik van skaak as
‘n terapeutiese middel in ‘n substans rehabilitasiesentrum. Die terapeutiese sesssies het
plaasgevind by Stabilis Behandelingsentrum waar die data sodoende ingesamel is.

Stabilis Behandelingsentrum is bekendgestel deur middel van ’n ondersoek en
opsomming van die sentrum se huidige programme. Die navoringsprobleem en
daaropvolgende navorsingsvrae en doelwitte is gestel en ’n literatuurstudie is gedoen
waar inligting vervat is rakende dwelmgebruik en skaak se rol in verskeie kontekste. Die
navorsingsmetodologie is hersien en die narratiewe praktyk bekendgestel en ondersoek.

Drie deelnemers aan hierdie navorsingsprojek is voorgestel en hul ervaringe van skaak
speel is ondersoek en uitgebrei na hul ervaringe van die lewe en relevante situasies.
Hierdie proses is vervat in brief formaat waarin ek as navorser, deur middel van briewe
aan elke deelnemer, reflekteer op hul ervaringe van skaak en sodoende gebruik daarvan
om hul persoonlike stories weer te gee.

Hierdie navorsingsprojek kom tot ’n slotsom waar ek die resultate van die studie saamvat
en voorstelle vir toekomstige studies aanvoer.

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SLEUTELBEGRIPPE

Voorligtingsielkunde, sportsielkunde, substansafhanklikheidssentrum, terapeutiese
aktiwiteitsprogram, skaak, oefensielkunde, terapeutiese programme, narratiewe praktyk,
psigo-analise, ervaring.

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SUMMARY

This research project is a narrative study on the use of chess as a therapeutic medium in a
substance abuse rehabilitation centre. Stabilis Treatment Centre served as the rehabilitation
centre where the data was collected and the therapeutic sessions conducted.

In this research report I introduced Stabilis Treatment Centre by exploring and providing
an overview of their existing programmes. I have stated the research problem and the
subsequent research question and goals. A literature review is included where
information with regards to drug abuse, exercise psychology and the use of chess in
various contexts is provided. The research methodology is examined and narrative
practice is introduced and explored.

The three participants in this research project are introduced and their experiences of
playing chess are explored and extended to their experiences of life and relevant
situations. This process is documented in letter format where I as researcher wrote letters
to each participant reflecting on their experiences of using chess to narrate their personal
narratives.

This research project concludes where I summarize the results of this study as well as
providing recommendations for future studies.

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KEY TERMS

Counselling psychology, sport psychology, substance abuse rehabilitation centre,
therapeutic activity programme, chess, exercise psychology, therapeutic programme,
narrative practice, psychoanalysis, experience.

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Contents

Page number

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Problem 1

1.1.1 Stabilis Rehabilitation Centre 1
1.1.2 Stabilis Therapeutic Programme 2
1.1.3 Stabilis Activity Programme 4

1.2 Question 6

1.3 Goals 7

1.3.1 General goal 7
1.3.2 Specific goals 7

1.4 Structure 7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW: SUBSTANCE ABUSE 9

2.1 Definitions 9
2.1.1 Stimulants 10
2.1.2 Opiates 10
2.1.3 Hallucinogens 10
2.1.4 Depressants 10
2.1.4 (a) Alcohol 10
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2.2 Overview of substance abuse in South Africa 13

2.3 Causes of drug use 14

2.3.1 Biological dimensions 15
2.3.2 Psychological dimensions 15
2.3.3 Social dimension 16
2.3.4 Prescribed medicinal drugs 16
2.3.5 Causes of alcohol abuse 18

2.4 Effects of drug and alcohol abuse 18

2.5 Treatment planning 20

2.5.1 Intervention strategies 21

CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW: CHESS AND EXERCISE
PSYCHOLOGY 25

3.1 Exercise Psychology 25

3.1.1 Psychological benefits of exercise 26

3.2 Chess, Education and the Clinical Context 31

3.3 Chess and life 37

3.4 Chess and Psychology 38

3.4.1 Chess and the Psychoanalytical approach 38

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(cid:131) Mentality 38
(cid:131) Bobby Fischer 40

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 42

4.1 Context 42

4.1.1 Time 42
4.1.2 Place 43

4.2 Participants 44

4.2.1 Chess players 44
4.2.2 Supervisor 45

4.3 Position 46

4.3.1 Experience 46
4.3.2 Experience and narrative 47
4.3.3 Experience, narrative and history 48
4.3.4 Experience, narrative and culture 49

4.4 Method 51

(cid:131) Phase 1: Introduction to chess and determination of research participants 51
(cid:131) Phase 2: Playing and narrating the chess experience 51
(cid:131) Phase 3: Reflecting on the chess experience 52
(cid:131) Phase 4: Transcribing experience 54
(cid:131) Phase 5: Analysing experience 56
(cid:131) Phase 6: Reporting experience 56
4.4.1 Relevance 58
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