AllPlay Dance: Two Pilot Dance Projects for Children With Disability, Developed and Assessed With a Dance Studies Approach

AllPlay Dance is founded on a collaborative approach to research between the School of Psychology and the School of Communication of Creative Arts, both of Deakin University. The research is also undertaken in partnership with professional ballet company, Queensland Ballet. This paper describes the development and execution of two pilot projects for children with disability, utilizing a dance studies methodology. The projects were conducted in 2018 and 2019 for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and autism spectrum disorder, as part of the AllPlay Dance program. Participants with disabilities ranged in age from 7 to 12 years. As well as describing the approach to the program development, we discuss the involvement of older and more experienced buddies who were included as a method to support the participation in dance of children with disabilities. We will also describe the diffusion of authorship in the making of group dances as a tool for inclusion and the premise of dance as a social practice in which participants inter-subjectively generate meaning and sense making. The AllPlay Dance projects were developed as a series of dance classes in which participants worked with set or learned movement material, dance improvisation, and tasks for movement generation in order to collectively generate a dance for performance. This paper focuses on the aim of developing inclusive approaches to dance classes that challenge "ableist" notions of dance as spectacle to enable to work toward building transferable programs to allow all children who so desire and to participate in dance in their communities.

Can a Community-Based Football Program Benefit Motor Ability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Pilot Evaluation Considering the Role of Social Impairments

This non-randomised pilot study evaluated the impact of a community football program on motor ability in children aged 5-12 years with autism spectrum disorder. Sixteen children were evaluated at baseline-and-post attendance in a football program for a varied number of weeks and compared to 19 children engaging in treatment-as-usual. Primary analyses indicated a statistically significant increase in total MABC-2, aiming and catching, and balance scores for the intervention group, with no changes in scores in the comparison group. There were no changes in manual dexterity across either group. At a between group level, the changes in aiming and catching scores were significantly greater for the intervention group. Further analyses highlighted the potential importance of social impairments regarding aiming and catching.

The Influence of Child-Related Factors on Caregiver Perceptions of Their Child's Sustained Participation in a Community Football Program: A Study of Children with and without Neurodevelopmental Disorders

This study evaluated the influence of activity preference and involvement on season completion in a community-based football program for children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders. Caregivers (n = 1428) of 1529 children aged 4 to 17 (M = 7.27, SD = 1.85), with (n = 175) and without (n = 1354) neurodevelopmental disorders who were currently participating or had previously participated in a group-based NAB AFL Auskick football program completed an online survey. The survey collected information on their child's completion of any attempted seasons of the football program, level of involvement during the sessions and preference for football over other sports and activities. Eighty percent of children with a neurodevelopmental diagnosis had completed all seasons of Auskick, compared with 93% of children without a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. Results indicated that children with neurodevelopmental disorders (n = 135) were 3.71 times less likely to complete a football season than their typically developing peers (n = 903). Higher levels of involvement during football sessions and greater preference for football were linked to a higher football season completion rate, irrespective of neurodevelopmental disability diagnosis. This study highlights the influence of child-related factors, in particular, preference and involvement, on children's sustained participation in community football programs, regardless of neurodevelopmental disability status.

Can Participation in a Community Organized Football Program Improve Social, Behavioural Functioning and Communication in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Pilot Study

This pilot research investigated the effects of a community-based organized football program on behavioral, social and communicative outcomes in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In a non-randomized design, 19 children completed the football program and were compared pre- and post-intervention with 21 children who received no comparable intervention (ages 5-12 years). Caregiver-report using the child behavior checklist indicated a significant decrease in total, internalizing, DSM-oriented anxiety and social problems for children who participated in the program, with no change in the comparison group. There were no group differences in socialization and communication scores on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior scale. Results provide preliminary evidence in support of the program, justifying the need for further, more rigorous trials in this area.

A Brief Report: Community Supportiveness May Facilitate Participation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Their Community and Reduce Feelings of Isolation in Their Caregivers

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participate at lower rates in their community, and their caregivers experience higher levels of stress, in comparison to families of typically developing (TD) children. The social model of disability positions the environment as the central issue when children with disabilities are unable to participate, yet little is known about the relationship between poor community support, reduced community participation in children with ASD, and caregiver stress. This study examined caregiver perceptions of community supportiveness for the community participation of 48 children with ASD (aged 5–12 years), alongside caregiver-reported child ASD symptom severity, adaptive functioning, and caregiver stress. Community supportiveness predicted child involvement, but not attendance, when child characteristics were held constant. Caregiver perceptions of low community supportiveness significantly predicted caregiver feelings of isolation. The importance of modifying community programs to better support inclusion of children with ASD is discussed.

An Examination of Parent-Reported Facilitators and Barriers to Organized Physical Activity Engagement for Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Physical, and Medical Conditions

Organized physical activity (OPA) is an important contributor to physical, social, and emotional health and well-being; however, young people with disabilities are participating at lower rates than their peers without disabilities. This study aimed to (1) compare facilitators and barriers to OPA for young people with disabilities who currently do and do not participate in OPA and (2) to assess whether groups differed in the type of internal and external assets they reported. Parents of 218 young people (41% with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder) with a diverse representation of disabilities completed an online survey. Young people were categorized as either participants in OPA (n = 131) or non-participants (n = 87) by parent report. Non-participation was significantly predicted by the barrier “there are no activities my child enjoys” and by a lack of children’s motivation and happiness during OPA. Significant internal assets differentiating participants from non-participants were the ability to understand simple instructions, love of sport, and meeting physical activity guidelines. Significant external assets were parent and sibling participation in OPA, school type, and household income. The findings from this study have important implications for the design of public health interventions that aim to promote OPA in young people with disabilities, highlighting the need to make activities enjoyable, promote participation of siblings and parents, and support low-income families to participate.

Parent and Clinician Perspectives on the Participation of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Community-Based Football: A Qualitative Exploration in a Regional Setting

The current study aimed to qualitatively explore parent and clinician perspectives on the factors influencing participation in a community-based Australian-Rules Football program for five to 12-year-old children with cerebral palsy (CP) in a regional setting. Six allied-health clinicians and two parents of children with CP participated in focus groups exploring factors influencing participation. Thematic analysis indicated seven key factors influencing participation—of which, six were environmental factors and one was related to child characteristics. Environmental factors included resources, communication, knowledge and previous experience, attitudes and expectations, game factors and community relevance. Child characteristics included age, preferences, confidence, as well and cognitive and physical functioning. Notwithstanding limitations, the current study highlights the central role of ‘people factors’ in the child’s environment, in facilitating participation in community-based physical activity.

A Pilot Acceptability Study of an 'AllPlay Pre-Learn' Day Program to Facilitate Participation in Organised Physical Activity for Children with Disabilities

In a mixed-methods design, the current study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a junior Australian rules football program across two ‘AllPlay Pre-Learn’ days for children aged 5–11 years with disabilities, based on parent and child responses. Three online surveys were created by health professionals based on existing participation models. Surveys were completed by parents immediately before (n = 23), after the ‘Pre-Learn’ days (n = 15) and following the conclusion of the community version of the program (n = 13). Quantitative findings indicated significant improvements in child ratings around enjoyment of the sport. Qualitative analyses generated three themes around enjoyment in a low-stress environment; the education provided around the sport for parents/children; and, contemplation about playing the football program within their community. Four families (22% of the original attendees) went on to play the sport within a community setting. Despite acknowledged limitations, this study demonstrates preliminary evidence in support of an ‘AllPlay Pre-Learn’ day as a stepping stone to facilitate later participation in a football program within a child’s community. Increased participation would allow children to experience the benefits associated with sport participation, such as motor and social skill development.

Problem Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considering Core Symptom Severity and Accompanying Sleep Disturbance

In addition to the core symptoms that define autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many individuals experience broader problem behavior at a level significant enough for families to seek further clinical assessment and intervention. We define "problem behavior" as any significant emotional or behavioral issue captured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) including anxiety, depression, withdrawal, somatic complaints, problems with socialization, thought or attention, rule-breaking, and aggression. While greater ASD symptom severity and accompanying sleep disturbance have each been linked with more severe problem behavior, there is little understanding about how these two key factors interact; that is, it is unclear whether the severity and type of sleep disturbance an individual experiences differentially influences the relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior. The aim of the current study was, thus, to explore whether the link between greater ASD symptom severity and clinically elevated problem behavior is moderated by the presence/degree of accompanying sleep disturbance. Forty males with ASD, aged 5-12, participated in the study. The Social Responsiveness Scale, CBCL, and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire were administered to obtain information about ASD symptom severity, problem behavior, and sleep habits, respectively. Results indicated that the relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior differed among individuals with ASD depending on the degree of sleep disturbance they experienced. Specifically, there was a significant positive relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior for individuals with no sleep disturbance or milder sleep disturbance (i.e., in these cases, individuals with severe ASD symptoms experienced clinically elevated problem behavior, while those with milder ASD symptoms experienced milder problem behavior). In contrast, there was no significant relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior for individuals with moderate-to-severe sleep disturbance; rather, clinically significant problem behavior was apparent across all individuals irrespective of ASD symptom severity. Follow-up analyses indicated that disturbances in sleep duration, disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness were related to clinically elevated problem behavior even among those with milder ASD symptoms. These findings emphasize the importance of routinely assessing for accompanying sleep disturbance in this population regardless of whether individuals present with mild, moderate, or severe ASD.