2025 Volume 21 Issue 1 Pages 6-9
Introduction: The number of Japanese children who refuse to attend school is increasing every year. However, it is uncommon for occupational therapists (OTs) to visit to the homes and rooms of these students. We examined the effects of visiting occupational therapy on a junior high school student with an addiction to Internet games.
Methods: The case (Case) involved a home visit by an OT to a 13-year-old boy with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Case told the OT that he was addicted to competitive Internet games and went to bed around 5 a.m.
Result: OT spoke with Case concerning his daily rhythm, and he promised to be in bed by midnight. However, this promise was frequently broken, and no improvement was seen in his life rhythm or his relationship with his family. Therefore, the OT increased the frequency of visits from once to twice a week. Six months into the visit, the OT took advantage of plastic model making, which Case had shown interest in, to break the vicious cycle caused by Internet games. Case's reliance on Internet gaming was eliminated, thanks to plastic model building, and his life rhythm significantly improved. Case's Vineland-2 Adaptive Behavior Scale scores also improved, and his Maladaptive Behavior Scale score was zero.
Conclusion: The OT's encouragement to build plastic models occurred at the right time to assist Case to break free from his addiction. These findings suggest that home-visit occupational therapy is effective for students who refuse to attend school.
