Occupation-based Intervention and Evidence of Happiness among Internally Displaced Jobless Workers in Times of Crisis
Fomba Emmanuel Mbebeb

Abstract
Occupation-based intervention has become an important practice in the treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) but it has received marginal attention in the integrated treatment plan. The paper argues that this is an oversight recognizing that IDPs suffer from job loss due to displacement and ensuing economic hardship, endemic psychological dependence and emotional disorders. It further submits that adult IDPs constitute a bulk of displaced workers and occupational therapy is capable of promoting life satisfaction, a dimension of psychological wellbeing for IDPs. Drawing from interventions on IDPs of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon by some development agencies, the paper asserts that livelihood behaviors and vocational training constitute key determinants of happiness among the forcibly displaced. A quantitative survey was used and 268 participants (104 males; 164 females) were recruited from selected NGOs in Bamanda municipality using purposive sampling. A questionnaire with sub-scales and aggregate alpha, α=0.833, was used to gather information and descriptive and inferential statistics used for analysis. Findings revealed that livelihood behaviors were able to predict variation in happiness of IDPs at 55.9%, while vocational training estimated the variation at 75.4%. It was evident that occupation-based intervention predicted happiness of the forcibly displaced. However, it was observed that the mean for livelihood behavior and happiness was low as compared to vocational training, indicating challenges faced in the design and implementation of occupational therapy. Findings from the study revealed that occupational therapy should be advocated and reinforced as a viable component of the integrated treatment plan for IDPs and as a driver of life satisfaction and more rigorous research should be promoted.

Full Text: PDF