Participation of children with disabilities: measuring subjective and objective outcomes

Evaluation of a Complex Intervention to Strengthen Participation-Centred Care for Children with Special Healthcare Needs: Protocol of the Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomised PART-CHILD Trial

INTRODUCTION

Participation is an important dimension of healthy child development and is associated with higher self-rated health, educational attainment and civic engagement. Many children with special healthcare needs (SHCN) experience limited participation and are thus at risk for adverse health and developmental outcomes. Despite this, interventions that promote participation in healthcare are scarce. We therefore evaluate the effectiveness of a complex age- and condition-generic intervention that strengthens participation-centred care involving parents and their children with SHCN by, inter alia, assessing preferences, specifying participation goals and facilitating shared decision-making in care.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

In this study protocol we describe the design and procedures for an unblinded, stepped wedge, cluster randomised trial conducted in 15 German interdisciplinary healthcare facilities providing services for children aged 0-18 years with SHCN. Sites are randomised to five periods in which they switch from control to intervention condition in blocks of three. The intervention includes: (1) team training focused on participation-centred care, (2) introduction of a new software facilitating participation-focused documentation and (3) implementation support promoting the transfer of training content into routine care. Study sites deliver routine care while in the control condition. As primary outcome, the degree of perceived shared decision-making with parents (CollaboRATE^pediatric parent scale), a potential antecedent of achieving participation goals in everyday life, is assessed on one randomly selected day per week during the entire study period, directly following care appointments. We aim to sample 70 parents per study site and period. Additionally, participation of children is assessed within a closed embedded cohort with three parent and patient surveys. Intervention effectiveness will be modelled with a marginal model for correlated binary outcomes using generalised estimation equations and complete cases. A comprehensive mixed-methods process evaluation complements the effectiveness analyses.

Caregiver Perspectives on School Participation Among Students With Craniofacial Microsomia

Importance: Knowledge of unmet school participation needs for students with craniofacial microsomia (CFM) can inform decisions regarding intervention support.

Objective: To compare students with and without CFM on school participation (i.e., frequency, involvement, desire for participation to change) and caregivers’ perceptions of environmental support for participation in occupations.

Design: Cross-sectional design using secondary analyses of a subset of data.

Setting: Multisite cohort study.

Participants: Caregivers of students with CFM (n = 120) and of students without CFM (n = 315), stratified by history of education- and health-related service use.

Outcomes and Measures: School participation and environmental support, obtained with the Participation and Environment Measure–Children and Youth.

Results: Significant group differences were found in frequency of school participation (effect size [ES] = −0.38, 95% confidence interval [−0.64, −0.12], p = .005), level of involvement (ES = −0.14, p = .029), and desired change (p = .001), with students with CFM exhibiting greater participation restriction than students without CFM and no history of service use. No statistically significant group differences were found in environmental support for participation in the school setting. Item-level findings showed statistically significant higher desire for participation to change in three of five school occupations (odds ratio = 1.77–2.39, p = .003–.045) for students with CFM compared with students without CFM and no history of service use.

Conclusions and Relevance: The results suggest that students with CFM experience restriction in participation at school.

What This Article Adds: Students with CFM may benefit from targeted school-based interventions to optimize their inclusion.

The Role of Social Support in Participation Perspectives of Caregivers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in India and South Africa

Caregivers are an intrinsic component of the environment of children with intellectual disabilities. However, caregivers’ capacity to support children’s participation may be linked to the social support that they, as caregivers, receive. Social support may increase participation, educational, psychological, medical and financial opportunities. However, there is a lack of information on social support in middle-income countries. The current study described and compared the social support of caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities by using the Family Support Survey (FSS) in India and South Africa. The different types of social support were subsequently considered in relation to participation, using the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). One hundred caregiver–child dyads from India and 123 from South Africa participated in this study. The data were analysed using non-parametric measures. Indian caregivers reported greater availability of more helpful support than did the South African caregivers. Social support was associated with children’s participation diversity (India) and intensity (South Africa). The child-/caregiver-reported participation data showed different associations with participation. Results from this study suggest that perceived social support of caregivers differs between countries and is associated with their child’s participation. These factors need to be considered when generalising results from different countries.

Reliability of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire: Community Scales

BACKGROUND

The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire (P-SEQ): Community Scales is a parent report questionnaire designed to examine the impact of the sensory environment on participation within community activities for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHODS

This study used a cross sectional quantitative design to establish the reliability and discriminate validity of the P-SEQ: Community Scales.

RESULTS

This study established the initial reliability of the questionnaire including internal consistency of 0.98 test-retest reliability of 0.76. The P-SEQ: Community Scales demonstrated significant differences in item distribution for children without ASD as compared to those with ASD, an essential aspect of construct validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that the questionnaire is a reliable tool that can be used to assess the impact of sensory environment's impact on participation in community activities. Identified barriers can be modified to support participation in community tasks.

Development and psychometric testing of an instrument for measuring social participation of adolescents: study protocol of a prospective mixed-methods study

INTRODUCTION

Social participation is an important part of a young person's life. It influences the social experience, social-emotional development and dimensions of competence experience. This applies to people with or without physical disabilities or chronic diseases. Currently, there is no reliable assessment tool for measuring social participation of adolescents in Germany although social participation is a central goal of rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to develop, test and pilot an instrument that assesses social participation for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 years and to start a psychometric test.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

In a sequential mixed-methods study, adolescents with and without physical disabilities or chronic diseases are asked about their experiences with social participation as well as the individual significance of self-determination through semistructured interviews. The perspective of adolescents is supplemented by focus groups that will be conducted first with experts from social paediatric care and second with legal guardians. Based on this, an assessment instrument will be developed, evaluated and implemented in exemplary social paediatric centres (SPCs) and rehabilitation clinics and psychometrically tested in a pilot study.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study will be conducted in accordance with the principles of the revised Helsinki Declaration. The study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. The developed assessment instrument can be used in science to identify disadvantaged groups and to compensate for the disadvantages that could impair development. For this purpose, the results will be presented at scientific conferences and published in international peer-reviewed journals. In practice, the instrument can be used to determine the goals of rehabilitation together with the adolescents and to evaluate the achievement of these goals. For this, implementation workshops and further training will be organised and carried out in children's rehabilitation clinics and SPCs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

DRKS00014739; Pre-results.

Aquatic therapy for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial and mixed-methods process evaluation

BACKGROUND

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare disease that causes the progressive loss of motor abilities such as walking. Standard treatment includes physiotherapy. No trial has evaluated whether or not adding aquatic therapy (AT) to land-based therapy (LBT) exercises helps to keep muscles strong and children independent.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the feasibility of recruiting boys with DMD to a randomised trial evaluating AT (primary objective) and to collect data from them; to assess how, and how well, the intervention and trial procedures work.

DESIGN

Parallel-group, single-blind, randomised pilot trial with nested qualitative research.

SETTING

Six paediatric neuromuscular units.

PARTICIPANTS

Children with DMD aged 7-16 years, established on corticosteroids, with a North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) score of 8-34 and able to complete a 10-m walk without aids/assistance. Exclusions: > 20% variation between baseline screens 4 weeks apart and contraindications.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were allocated on a 1 : 1 ratio to (1) optimised, manualised LBT (prescribed by specialist neuromuscular physiotherapists) or (2) the same plus manualised AT (30 minutes, twice weekly for 6 months: active assisted and/or passive stretching regime; simulated or real functional activities; submaximal exercise). Semistructured interviews with participants, parents (n = 8) and professionals (n = 8) were analysed using Framework analysis. An independent rater reviewed patient records to determine the extent to which treatment was optimised. A cost-impact analysis was performed. Quantitative and qualitative data were mixed using a triangulation exercise.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Feasibility of recruiting 40 participants in 6 months, participant and therapist views on the acceptability of the intervention and research protocols, clinical outcomes including NSAA, independent assessment of treatment optimisation and intervention costs.

RESULTS

Over 6 months, 348 children were screened - most lived too far from centres or were enrolled in other trials. Twelve (30% of target) were randomised to AT (n = 8) or control (n = 4). People in the AT (n = 8) and control (n = 2: attrition because of parental report) arms contributed outcome data. The mean change in NSAA score at 6 months was -5.5 [standard deviation (SD) 7.8] for LBT and -2.8 (SD 4.1) in the AT arm. One boy suffered pain and fatigue after AT, which resolved the same day. Physiotherapists and parents valued AT and believed that it should be delivered in community settings. The independent rater considered AT optimised for three out of eight children, with other children given programmes that were too extensive and insufficiently focused. The estimated NHS costs of 6-month service were between £1970 and £2734 per patient.

LIMITATIONS

The focus on delivery in hospitals limits generalisability.

CONCLUSIONS

Neither a full-scale frequentist randomised controlled trial (RCT) recruiting in the UK alone nor a twice-weekly open-ended AT course delivered at tertiary centres is feasible. Further intervention development research is needed to identify how community-based pools can be accessed, and how families can link with each other and community physiotherapists to access tailored AT programmes guided by highly specialised physiotherapists. Bayesian RCTs may be feasible; otherwise, time series designs are recommended.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN41002956.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 27. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Brief Report: Reliability of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire: Home Scales

The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire: Home Scales (P-SEQ): Home Scales is a parent report tool designed to assess the impact of the sensory environment on participation in daily activities in the home of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. A cross-sectional study was completed to determine internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and examine item distribution. A total of 304 parents of children between the ages of 2 and 7 years of age completed the P-SEQ: Home Scales. Results identified excellent internal consistency (α = 0.96), moderate test-retest reliability (r = .62), and reasonable item distribution. Results suggest that the P-SEQ: Home Scales provides reliable estimates of the impact of the sensory environment on children's participation in home activities.

Development and Validation of the Celiac Disease-Children's Activities Report (CD-Chart) for Promoting Self-Management among Children and Adolescents

Adherence to a restrictive gluten-free diet is the only known treatment for celiac disease (CD). Children and adolescents with CD encounter challenges while managing the diet in daily activities. Understanding their participation characteristics is lacking. The aim was to describe the development and validation process of the Celiac Disease-Children's Activities Report (CD-Chart). The final CD-Chart includes nine food-related activities that are measured by six core dimensions: frequency, preference, preparation, involvement, help, and self-determination. Participants were 126 children (8-11 years) and adolescents (12-18 years) with CD, and 30 healthy matched controls. Factor analysis was performed and psychometric properties were measured. Content and face validity was established and the CD-Chart showed adequate internal consistency as measured by the preference dimension (α = 0.81). Factor analysis revealed two distinct factors, social environment and close family environment. Construct validity demonstrated that the group with CD required significantly more pre-preparation for food-related activities than controls, (t(38) = 76.25, p < 0.001) and further differences as well as similarities were found between groups. Primary results indicate that the CD-Chart may serve as a practical tool for acquiring information about participation characteristics in food-related activities, strengths and challenges of children and adolescents with CD, to promote self-management, diet adherence, and well-being.

Improving participation outcomes and interventions in neurodisability: co-designing future research

There is an urgent, agreed need to improve participation outcomes and interventions for children and young people with neurodisability. We worked together with service users and providers to design research into participation outcomes and interventions in neurodisability. We built on existing evidence about participation outcomes and interventions and the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. We: (1) specified seven participation outcome categories for measurement; (2) prioritized these for improvement: self-care, friends and social, and physical activity ranked the highest; (3) identified 11 potential intervention categories for targeting the top priority, self-care, through eight hypothesized change mechanisms and agreed for the interventions to be delivered as a 'Menu of Interventions' for personalized self-care support; and (4) designed a before-and-after mixed methods feasibility study to evaluate the Menu with children and young people (0-12 years) and their parents and therapists.

Reliability of the German version of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and Preferences for Activities of Children (PAC)

BACKGROUND

The introduction of the International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health of the World Health Organization in 2001 made social participation a major rehabilitation outcome and the ultimate goal of rehabilitation services. There is no available instrument to measure the youth participation in leisure activities apart from asking the youth themselves. The goal of this study was to present a German version of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC).

METHODS

The CAPE/PAC questionnaire was translated into German, a cultural adaptation process was designed and a reliability study was conducted. One hundred and fifty-two youths with and without disabilities, with a mean age of 15.2 years (standard deviation 1.7), participated in the study. The participants completed CAPE and PAC twice within 4 weeks. Reliability was examined by intraclass correlation coefficients, standard error of measurement, smallest detectable change and Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTS

The absolute values of participation differ between the typically developed youth group and those with impairments; the reliability of the CAPE/PAC is comparable in both groups. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.43 to 0.74 for the CAPE and from 0.71 to 0.83 for the PAC in all participants. The alpha values for internal consistency ranged from 0.42 to 0.82 for the CAPE and from 0.65 to 0.92 for the PAC.

CONCLUSIONS

The German version of the PAC showed satisfactory reliability; however, reliability was not satisfactory for all scores of the CAPE, but comparable with versions in other languages. The need for newly developed participation measurements requires further discussion.

Participation in Out-of-Home Environments for Young Children With and Without Developmental Disabilities

This study examines caregivers' perceptions of participation patterns and environmental supports and barriers for young children with and without developmental disabilities within their child care/preschool and community settings. The Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) was completed by 151 parents of Singaporean children (0-7 years old) with and without developmental disabilities. Setting-specific summary and item-level scores of these children were compared using ANCOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Pearson chi-square tests. Children with developmental disabilities had significantly lower participation and environment summary scores in both settings as compared with children without developmental disabilities (p < .05; [Formula: see text] = 0.03-0.31). Group differences were also evident at the item level, particularly when comparing the percentage of parents who desire change in their child's activity participation. Adequate financial support, public awareness, programs, and services have been identified as environmental factors that are potentially important to parents of children with developmental disabilities.

Children and youth instrument development and testing articles published in the American journal of occupational therapy, 2009-2013: a content, methodology, and instrument design review

We extracted 35 articles published between January 2009 and September 2013 in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) that focused on children and youth instrument development and testing, summarized study details and traits of the 37 measures reported in them, and then critiqued the measures. Most of the articles contained Level III evidence (one-group nonrandomized and noncontrolled). The most common types of reliability reported in the articles were internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and interrater reliability; the most frequent types of validity reported were discriminant validity and construct validity. Most pediatric assessment tools were designed for school-age children between ages 5 and 12 yr. The two most common purposes for the assessments were reported as descriptive and discriminative. The continued publication of instruments that measure children and youth participation in meaningful occupations and life roles in home, school, and community environments is recommended.

Validation and randomized control trial of the e-SAID, a computerized paediatric dental patient request form, to intervene in dental anxiety

BACKGROUND

A rationale for, and pilot of a children's patient request form developed specifically for dental visits, has been previously reported. The SAID (survey of anxiety and information for dentists) is a questionnaire with three embedded subscales: dental anxiety, coping style and dental neglect. It includes children's requests for emotional support, information and treatment. The main, but not sole, response format is a facial image scale. A randomized control trial of a computer version is now reported. The aims were to validate items in the e-SAID, and to assess it as an intervention in dental anxiety.

METHOD

A total of 168 children aged 10-13, attending for routine dental checks in a community dental clinic, were randomly assigned to intervention (83) or control (85) groups. The intervention group completed the e-SAID, in which the first and last questions measured anxiety; and printed a summary of their responses for the dentist. Control group children completed the same anxiety questions, but with a time-lapse.

RESULTS

Means and SD were summarized for the 11 items showing a generally positive skew on the seven point scale. After removing the two-item dental neglect subscale, the anxiety and coping subscales were shown to be relatively independent (r = 0.14) and factorially pure. The intervention group mean anxiety score decreased following completion of the e-SAID, while the control group mean anxiety score increased with a small significant interaction effect; however, much of the change occurred in the positive-affect end of the scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Two problems are discussed: defining anxiety as a bipolar score; and some children being so keen to be assigned to the intervention group that they circumvented the computer allocation process. Children wanted to actively engage in discussion of their dental treatment. The e-SAID was an effective tool for that, regardless of initial low anxiety levels.

Using self-management to improve the reciprocal social conversation of children with autism spectrum disorder

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders often exhibit difficulties with reciprocal social conversation, engaging in limited verbal exchanges, even when language structures are intact. This study employed a multiple baseline design to examine the effectiveness of a self-management intervention targeting (1) on-topic responsiveness to a conversational partner; (2) expansion of the conversational topic; and (3) on-topic question asking. Results demonstrated improved reciprocal social conversation through elaborated responses and on-topic question asking, which generalized and maintained. Social validity measures by naïve observers indicated that the intervention led to meaningful improvements during conversation, including interest, naturalness, and desirability as a conversational partner.