Article

Improving participation of children with disabilities is a priority;
however, the participation construct lacks clarity.
This systematic review
investigated how researchers defined 'participation' and the language used in
participation intervention research. METHOD: Nine health and education databases
were searched for intervention studies of children with disabilities that
included a participation outcome. Quantitative data were extracted using a
customized form, and participation text data were extracted verbatim. Themes were
derived using a thematic coding approach. These participation themes were applied
to the outcome measures used in the included studies to compare participation
language with the methods used to quantify participation changes. RESULTS: Of the
2257 articles retrieved, 25 were included in this review. Five participation
themes and nine subthemes were developed. Two themes, attendance and involvement,
were directly related to the participation construct. Three additional themes
described related concepts: preferences, activity competence, and sense of self.
INTERPRETATION: Attendance and involvement seem to describe the essence of the
participation concept. The related themes may provide important avenues to
enhance participation outcomes. This review highlighted the need for researchers
to define the construct under investigation clearly and select measures
carefully, as measurement choice is the mechanism through which the concept is
operationalized in research.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS