Assessment of enhanced vocational skills through horticultural therapy for differently-abled individuals

Introduction

The art and science of cultivating high-value plants such as fruits, vegetables, ornamentals (trees, shrubs and flowers), herbs and medicinal plants is known as horticulture. (Jaskani and Khan, 2021) [9] . Therapy is a treatment procedure which make a person feeling better. According to the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) [2] , operationalised Horticultural Therapy (HT) involves gardening and plant-based activities facilitated by trained professionals to achieve therapeutic goals. According to Beela et al. (2015) [4] , the adaptability of Horticultural Therapy highlights its potential to cater to individuals with diverse disabilities by tailoring activities to specific abilities. Thus, Horticultural Therapy has emerged as an effective intervention for promoting overall well-being and vocational readiness among differently abled individuals. www.extensionjournal.com individuals with mild intellectual disabilities, aiding rehabilitation and societal integration (Gupta, 2021) [8] . Similar training across various disability categories will further enhance employability and inclusion. The children with special needs, vocational education should match their talents, interests, and abilities, promoting work habits, positive attitudes, and social skills (Jauhari et al., 2020) [11] . Jaya et al. (2018) [12] emphasise the importance of life skills education, recommending that general, academic, and vocational life skills be tailored to specific disabilities and cognitive abilities. Educational interventions and learning media aid in vocational skill acquisition, helping to reduce unemployment and support community integration.

Horticultural Therapy (HT)

Experts across decades have operationalised Horticultural Therapy for vocational skill assessment. Beela and Reghunath (2010) [5] described Horticultural Therapy as the integration of behavioural science and horticulture. Davis (1995) [6] explained it as using gardening and nature in professional therapy and rehabilitation. According to Ackley and Cole (1987) [1] defined Horticultural Therapy as plantrelated activities supporting medical and psychological therapies to enhance mental and physical health. Horticultural Therapy engages individuals in plant-related activities to improve well-being (Porchey, 2007) [18] , helping reduce stress, regulate emotions, increase self-awareness, and encourage social interaction (Zhou & Zeng, 2023) [22] . It has been implemented in hospitals, schools, and community gardens (Porchey, 2007) [18] . Horticultural Therapy also improves memory, reduces stress and anger, and supports motor coordination, task completion, self-esteem, and social interaction (Beela and Ragunath, 2010) [5] . Horticultural Therapy programmes show promising results for differently-abled individuals, improving hand function, emotional behaviour, and social skills (Joy et al., 2020) [13] . Activities like succulent cultivation and upper body movements have enhanced vocational rehabilitation (Son et al., 2022) [20] . Behaviour-modification-based Horticultural Therapy programs significantly improve social behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities (Kim et al., 2012) [14] . Structured Horticultural Therapy training for adolescents with moderate impairments also improved self-sufficiency and self-image (Airhart et al., 1987) [3] . Beneficiaries of Horticultural Therapy show marked improvements in motor skills, task accuracy, and emotional resilience (Jasmeen, 2015) [10] . Horticultural Therapy bridges therapy and vocational training through practical gardening experiences aligned with therapeutic goals (Simson and Straus, 1998) [19] . Horticultural therapy not only builds practical skills but also supports mental and emotional well-being through calming activities like gardening. Nevil and Beela (2023) [16] demonstrated that Horticultural Therapy enhances social and emotional abilities, helping participants become more resilient and workplace-ready. Activities such as soil preparation, propagation, and marketing mirror real-world job tasks, fostering teamwork, problem-solving, and vocational competence.

Materials and Methods

The sample for the study were selected from two locations, Horticultural Therapy Centre, Department of Community Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum and Mother Veronica Special School, Thalanji, Chungathara, Malappuram. The sample consists of 30 differently-abled individuals, including 21 boys and 9 girls, belong to the age group 12-30. There are 25 individuals with Intellectual Disability, 3 with Cerebral Palsy, and 1 each with Locomotor Disability and Down Syndrome. Vocational skills training was given to 30 differently-abled individuals in 8 sessions, specifically focusing on microgreen production, greeting card making using dry flowers and leaves and their selling. After the Horticultural Therapy vocational training sessions, vocational skills of differently abled individuals were assessed using a Horticultural Therapy-Vocational Skill Assessment Scale (HT-VSAS). The scale consists of two parts focussing upon; a) the personal and socio-economic characters of the sample, b) aspects related to vocational skill assessment. First part consists of 19 questions and second part consists of 30 questions specifically made to assess the vocational skills of participants. The tool was adapted from a standardised Vocational Assessment Scale, named NIMH-Vocational Assessment and Programing System (NIMH-VAPS), 1998 for persons with Mental Retardation [17] . The scale was initially prepared and a pre-test was carried out with 60 people of age category of 12-30 years old. The score of the rating scale was in an ascending order 0 to 2. Using the pre-test result the reliability and validity of the tool were checked. The reliability coefficient of the Horticultural Therapy-Vocational Skill Assessment Scale was calculated as 0.958, which indicates a high level of internal consistency, suggesting that the adapted vocational skill assessing scale is highly reliable. Overall Content Validity Ratio of the scale results indicate that most items have moderate and high validity, suggesting that the scale is appropriately measures the vocational skills and it is valid. After the vocational skill assessment, individuals with a total score of 22-30 were classified as having high vocational skills, those scoring 15-21 were categorised as having moderate skills, and those with a score below 15 were considered to have poor vocational skills.

The Study: The study was carried out in the following steps:

Pre-Horticultural Therapy Assessment

Before starting Horticultural Therapy, participant's personal and socio-economic backgrounds were assessed with input from their trainers, teachers, and parents. Additional information, such as prior experience with gardening, interest in horticulture, basic plant knowledge, required skills, and existing vocational abilities, was collected to evaluate their pre-vocational skills.

Horticultural Therapy Training Sessions 2.2.1 Introduction to Horticulture: Identifying and Propagating Plants

Participants were introduced to horticulture through sensory-based learning. They explored plant textures, colors, and scents to identify common garden plants. They also recalled fruits and vegetables they consume and discussed propagation methods like seed sowing and stem cutting. This session aimed to enhance their observational skills, sensory awareness, and plant knowledge.

Sensory Engagement: Collecting Leaves and Flowers for Drying

Participants collected leaves and flowers, engaging their senses to distinguish textures, fragrances, and colors. This hands-on activity improved sensory awareness, cognitive processing, and relaxation, helping them select materials for press drying.

Creative Expression: Making Handmade Greeting Cards

Using dried flowers and leaves, participants created greeting cards, combining art with horticulture. This activity encouraged creativity, improved fine motor skills, and helped develop patience, concentration, and self-expression, opening pathways for vocational opportunities.

Responsibility Building: Caring for Microgreens

Participants monitored the growth of their microgreens, watering them daily and recording observations. This session emphasised the importance of consistency in plant care and improved their responsibility and attention to environmental factors affecting plant health.

Harvesting Skills: Sorting and Preparing Microgreens

Once the microgreens matured, participants carefully harvested them, sorted, and cleaned the produce. This step developed fine motor skills, attention to detail, and an understanding of quality control in post-harvest handling.

Post-Vocational Skill Assessment

After completing Horticultural Therapy training sessions, participant's vocational skills were assessed using an adapted scale with 30 questions, each rated on a two-point scale.

Results and Discussion

Impact of Horticultural Therapy training sessions

The study evaluated the impact of Horticultural Therapy through two vocational activities: Microgreen Production and Greeting Card Making. Key training sessions included sensory collection, crafting, sowing, caring, harvesting, packaging, and selling. Participants with over six months of structured therapy showed greater proficiency, independence, and engagement. Those without prior training needed support, sensory reinforcement, and repetitive practice. Activity-specific impacts are detailed below:

Microgreen Production: Enhancing Vocational and Life Skills

Participants from the Horticultural Therapy Centre, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, performed better than those from Mother Veronica Special School, Malappuram, due to prior therapy-based training. They retained plant names, propagation, and management techniques effectively. In contrast, the special school participants needed step-by-step guidance and repetition. Routine care fostered responsibility and patience. Trained participants independently monitored plant health and watering schedules. Untrained individuals needed reminders but improved with guided practice. The harvesting phase revealed differences in fine motor skills. A participant with cerebral palsy (Sample 2) faced difficulty handling scissors and sprayers due to hand stiffness. In contrast, a participant with a similar condition (Sample 19) from the therapy centre showed better handling ability after two years of therapy. First-time participants at the special school improved with demonstrations, while trained participants showed readiness. Packaging and selling improved entrepreneurial experience, communication, and teamwork. All participants contributed positively to packaging, but many struggled with initiating sales and managing money due to intellectual disabilities and low IQ, indicating a need for individualised training approaches. Overall, performance variations highlight the importance of disability-specific, structured training guided by qualified horticultural therapists.

Greeting Card Making: Fostering Creativity and Vocational Skills

This activity combined sensory experiences, creativity, fine motor development, and sales. Trained participants showed better accuracy, creativity, and task initiation, while untrained participants needed structured help and demonstrations. Sensory exposure improved plant identification and memory. Trained participants recognised materials quickly, while untrained individuals, mostly with intellectual disabilities, required repetitive practice, showing the benefits of hands-on learning. Crafting cards promoted problem-solving, emotional wellbeing, and vocational development. Those with previous exposure had stronger design skills and confidence; others improved with guided practice. Selling cards enhanced communication, social interaction, and scheduling skills. Trained individuals worked independently, while others progressed with instruction. Participants like Sample 12 (Down syndrome) struggled with communication, affecting selling effectiveness. Findings emphasise the need for customised training durations and approaches based on disability type and severity, to optimise vocational skill development for each individual.

Assessment of vocational skill development

This study aims to evaluate the vocational skills of differently abled individuals. The vocational skill assessment was done using an adapted vocational skill assessment scale named Horticultural Therapy-Vocational Skill Assessment Scale (HT-VSAS), focusing on activities such as microgreen production and greeting card making using dry flowers and leaves. From the above table, it is clear that the majority of participants (66.67%) achieved a high level of vocational skills, with scores ranging between 22 and 30, after undergoing Horticultural Therapy training. This indicates that more than two-thirds of the participants were able to develop strong vocational skills in activities such as microgreen production and greeting card making using dried flowers and leaves. Additionally, 33.33% of the participants fell into the moderate skill level category, with scores ranging between 15 and 21. This suggests that while they showed improvement, their skill development was not as advanced as those in the high-skill category. However, their scores still indicate a positive impact of the Horticultural Therapy involvement in enhancing their vocational abilities. Notably, none of the participants fell into the poor skill category (below 15), meaning that all individuals who underwent the training were able to acquire at least a moderate level of vocational expertise. The complete absence of participants in the poor category strengthens the effectiveness of the training program in enhancing vocational skills across all participants, regardless of their initial skill levels. A comparative analysis was conducted to determine variations in vocational skill development among different disability groups. The findings indicated that participants with Intellectual Disability showed the highest levels of improvement, with 18 out of 25 individuals (72%) achieving high-level vocational skills and the remaining 7 (28%) attaining moderate levels. This suggests that individuals with Intellectual Disability responded well to the structured horticultural therapy program, likely benefiting from the repetitive nature of tasks and hands-on engagement.

In contrast, individuals with Cerebral Palsy demonstrated relatively lower skill acquisition, with only 1 out of 3 participants reaching a high skill level, while the remaining 2 participants were in the moderate category. This variation may have occurred due to limited hand movements that impact fine motor coordination and dexterity, making certain horticultural tasks more challenging for them. The participant with Down Syndrome who got training for 1 month attained a moderate level of vocational skills, indicating some improvement but possibly requiring additional time, support, or modifications to enhance their learning process. Similarly, the participant with Locomotor Disability was able to reach a high skill level, suggesting that physical movement constraints did not significantly hinder vocational skill acquisition in this case because the participant actively got Horticultural Therapy for two years.

Net profit earned from selling horticultural products

In this study, the financial outcomes of the Horticultural Therapy program were analysed based on the revenue generated from selling products cultivated or created by the participants to assess the economic feasibility of Horticultural Therapy as a vocational training approach. This study also highlights how participation in the selling process enhances entrepreneurial and social skills development among differently-abled individuals.

To evaluate the financial viability, the Benefit-Cost (BC) ratio is calculated separately for microgreen production and greeting card making. This allows a detailed comparison of the profitability of each activity, helping to determine their income-generating ability. The Benefit-Cost (BC) ratio was calculated using the formula:

BC Ratio = Total Revenue / Total Cost For microgreen production, the total cost was ₹138, which includes ₹113 for green gram seeds (750g) and ₹25 for a packet of tissue paper. The total revenue earned was ₹600, calculated by selling 6 packs of microgreens at ₹100 each. Therefore, the BC ratio for microgreen production is 600 ÷ 138 = 4.35. For greeting card making, the total cost was ₹120 for materials like chart paper, glue, etc. The total revenue was ₹450, calculated by selling 30 greeting cards at ₹15 each. Hence, the BC ratio for greeting card making is 450 ÷ 120 = 3.75. Since the BC ratio for both activities is greater than 1, ie, for microgreen production, the BC Ratio is 4.35, and for greeting card making, the BC Ratio is 3.75, so they are economically feasible vocational options.

Conclusion

References

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