Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Page 52
PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
BJOT
NEXT ISSUE
The April issue of BJOT is the second part of a two-part
special issue on ‘Optimising children’s participation for
health and wellbeing’, edited by Catherine McBryde and
Jenny Ziviani.
Part two of the special issue focuses on some of
the barriers and facilitators to optimal participation. The
featured research papers highlight occupational therapy
interventions, and physical conditions and diagnoses; some that
challenge and others that enhance children’s participation in
their desired activities.
In the first of the articles Bhopti et al examine the impact
caring for a child with a disability had on parents’ participation
in their own occupations. Their mixed methods research design
examined the factors influencing Family Quality of Life (FQOL)
using a questionnaire and qualitative interviews.
In their systematic review, Arakelyn et al examine the
family factors impacting on the participation of children with
disabilities, concluding that increased levels of parent support
resulted in an increased likelihood of children with cerebral palsy
participating in leisure activities.
An example of an approach that has the potential to enhance
or facilitate participation is animal assisted therapy (AAT). Hill
and colleagues provide a critical reflection on the practice of
incorporating AAT into occupational therapy practice for children
with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
The social and emotional benefits of AAT include increased
participation in occupational therapy intervention, increased
social engagement and greater use of verbal language. Of
concern, however, is the current lack of appropriate training,
guidelines for practice and a suitable accreditation process.
Hunt and colleagues report on positive changes in
occupational performance and participation investigated the
impact of a six-week active rehabilitation intervention on 52
young people aged between nine and 18 years who had
experienced a concussion.
The programme was based on emerging evidence
suggesting that engaging in physical activity supports recovery
of cognitive function following a brain injury. and relaxation
exercises and were asked to complete the program daily at
home.
Other articles in this special issue outline the impact of a
disruption to body structures and functions on a child’s ability to
participate in meaningful occupations.
Davis et al (2020) conducted a Paediatric Activity Card Sort
assessment and semi-structured interviews with five children
aged between seven and 12 years, who presented with mobility
difficulties and used a type of mobility support.
52 OTnews March 2020
They report that the kinds of occupations the children
engaged in and the intensity of their participation in tasks
including sports, schoolwork and hobbies, was reduced when
compared to their typically developing peers.
When asked about the barriers to their involvement, the
children identified themselves and their physical limitations rather
than the environment per se.
Sims et al aimed to develop an understanding of the
perceptions of children and youth on their upper limb prostheses
in relation to daily activities. They identified that prostheses can
both facilitate and inhibit participation.
The upper limb prosthesis was identified as increasing
participation in practical applications such as sports or playing
a musical instrument and, interestingly, was also identified as
enhancing social participation.
The conclusions reiterate the importance of a client-centred
goal-directed approach in enabling positive outcomes that
enhance participation.
Payne et al interviewed nine adolescents aged between 13
and 15 years about how the diagnosis of Developmental Co-
ordination Disorder (DCD) affected them at home, at school and
in their leisure pursuits. They were asked to identify the personal
and environmental factors that impacted on their performance
and on their feelings of self-efficacy.
Participants identified their reduced motor, cognitive
processing and social interaction skills as having the greatest
impact.
The special issue concludes with a systematic review
conducted by O’Dea et al, which examined the effectiveness of
interventions specifically to improve participation rather than task-
oriented outcomes for children with DCD.
Results indicated that there was currently little evidence
that any of the interventions evaluated resulted in improved
participation outcomes. Those interventions that did enhance
participation used a goal-setting measure such as the COPM.
All articles are published online at the journal’s OnlineFirst page
as soon as ready. Visit BJOT via your member login at
www.rcot.co.uk to browse these and other recent publications in
full (please go via the RCOT website links to the journal).
We have a new call for articles for a special issue on mental
health, guest edited by Mona Eklund. For more information visit:
http://journals.sagepub.com/page/bjo/call-for-papers.