Creating an inclusive leisure space: strategies used to engage children with and without disabilities in the arts-mediated program Spiral Garden

The potential impact of experiencing social inclusion in recreation for children with and without disabilities

PURPOSE

Inclusive recreation programs can have individual and community impacts for children with and without disabilities. However, studies that explore the impact of such programs on children's attitudes are mixed. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of children with and without disabilities on the individual impact of an inclusive recreation program.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This study adopted a generic qualitative methodology. Interviews were conducted with participants between the ages of eight and 18 enrolled in the same program and each participant was interviewed twice. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze results.

RESULTS

17 participants were recruited for this study, which included nine children without disabilities (CWODs) and eight children with disabilities (CWDs). This study revealed five themes: a) CWODs have limited exposure to people with disabilities; b) CWODs and CWDs' hopes of change; c) CWODs learned how to interact with people with disabilities; d) CWODs reported greater perceived similarity in functional ability and hobbies/interests between themselves and CWDs, and; e) CWODs become more comfortable being around people with disabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

This study helps broaden understandings of how inclusive experiences in recreation settings impact children with and without disability.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONChildren without disabilities can develop more positive attitudes toward children with disabilities in affective and cognitive domains after participating in an inclusive recreation program.Incorporating inclusive language into program design and implementation may promote positive attitudes toward diversity in recreation settings.Children without disabilities would benefit from more opportunities to interact with children with disabilities in unstructured, inclusive or integrated recreation settings.

Exploring the Shared Meaning of Social Inclusion to Children with and without Disabilities

AIMS

Perspectives of children with and without disabilities on social inclusion are seldom sought in the childhood disability literature, impeding the ability to provide inclusive experiences for all children. This qualitative study explored meaningful aspects of social inclusion from the perspectives of children with and without disabilities in an inclusive recreation program.

METHODS

Drawing on the interpretive paradigm and subjectivity epistemology, this study adopted a generic qualitative methodological approach. Seventeen children with and without disabilities involved in the same inclusive recreation program participated in two semi-structured interviews. These interviews were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three key themes emerged and were interpreted as dimensions of social inclusion: contextual, intrapersonal, and interpersonal. The contextual dimension included the freedom to choose activities and receiving equal attention from staff. The intrapersonal dimension was characterized by psychological safety and group fellowship. The interpersonal dimension included having positive authentic interactions and giving/receiving help.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings may influence future program development and implementation to promote inclusive experiences for all children.

Contextual strategies to support social inclusion for children with and without disabilities in recreation

PURPOSE

Integrating children with and without disabilities in recreation programs is assumed to promote inclusion. How social inclusion is facilitated in recreation settings, however, is not fully known. This study aimed to explore how social inclusion is supported in a recreation program.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A generic qualitative methodology was adopted. Seventeen children with and without disabilities registered for the same program were recruited. This sample included eight children with disabilities and nine typically developing children between the age of eight and 17. Two semi-structured interviews and three, two-hour observation periods were conducted with each participant. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze interview and observation data.

RESULTS

This study revealed five themes that support meaningful aspects of social inclusion from participants' perspectives: (a) creating opportunities for children to communicate their interests and desires; (b) providing opportunities to choose self-directed activities; (c) strategically selecting and placing objects to support interactions between children with and without disabilities; (d) directly encouraging interactions between children with and without disabilities, and; (e) Having relatively equal numbers of children with and without disabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

This study facilitates a better understanding of how meaningful inclusion experiences can be facilitated in recreation settings.Implications for rehabilitationParticipation in recreation programs that implement inclusive strategies could mitigate social isolation and loneliness for children with disabilities.Children with and without disabilities may experience greater sense of inclusion when recreation programs adopt a process-oriented and child-driven approach.Staff play a critical role in implementing inclusive strategies such as establishing group communication competency between children with and without disabilities, which could be supported by staff training.

Intervention strategies in residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities: a study of active ingredients and program fidelity

Objective: To examine intervention strategy use in residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs. Methods: The Service Provider Strategies-Checklist was used to record the strategies used in 100 activity settings across two summers at three RILS program sites. Activity settings were categorized by activity type and session format. Relative occurrence of the strategies was examined using percentages. Results: Socially mediated strategies (listening, engaging youth) and teaching/learning techniques (verbal cues, verbal instruction) were used in over 75% of the settings. Strategy use was highly contextualized, with different strategy patterns observed for different types of activity settings. Conclusion: The findings suggest that RILS programs be characterized by their use of socially mediated strategies and teaching/learning techniques, with socially mediated and non-intrusive strategies appearing to be program hallmarks. Strategy use was aligned with the types of sessions offered, providing evidence of program fidelity and indicating that RILS programs are complex in their formats, activities, and strategy use.

Performance and visual arts-based programs for children with disabilities: a scoping review focusing on psychosocial outcomes

Purpose: There is a growing movement in pediatric rehabilitation to understand how approaches addressing aspects beyond body function contribute to enhanced psychosocial well-being. Among such approaches is the use of creative arts. A scoping review was undertaken to synthesize the current literature on performance and visual arts-based programs and outcomes for children with disabilities.Methods: Data sources included CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Eligible articles described programs involving performing or visual art activities in community and ambulatory care settings, delivered to children between 6 and 18 years with physical or developmental disabilities, and reported on at least one psychosocial outcome. Domains of interest included emotional, social, behavioral, physical, cognitive, and/or communicative functioning, which are known to impact well-being and participation. No limits were applied to study design.Results: Twelve articles using primarily case study and quasi-experimental designs were identified, encompassing an 11-year period. Most programs focused on theater as the central modality. A majority of papers addressed changes in physical, cognitive, and communicative function (n = 8), followed by social function (n = 6), emotional function (n = 5), and finally, behavioral function (n = 3). Across individual papers, diverse study designs, measures, and outcomes were examined with positive qualitative and/or quantitative findings noted across all domains.Conclusions: Within an emerging evidence base, arts-based programs show potential to positively impact psychosocial well-being and warrant further investigation with broader populations of children with physical and developmental disabilities. A greater emphasis on programmatic approaches and enhanced methodological rigor to establishing benefits is needed to advance understanding.Implications for rehabilitationPediatric therapists may wish to consider recommending arts-based programs for children with ASD, TBI, and other developmental disabilities given their potential in achieving psychosocial outcomesArts-based programs in rehabilitation provide creative ideas (e.g., drawing, painting) and techniques (e.g., modeling, role-play), which may be incorporated into individualized or group-based therapy to promote psychosocial well-beingProgram evaluators and researchers are encouraged to adopt a programmatic approach to further explore how art activities facilitate psychosocial outcomes.