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There is a need for psychometrically sound measures of children's participation in recreation and leisure activities, for both clinical and research purposes. This paper provides information about the construct validity of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and its companion measure, Preferences for Activities of Children (PAC). These measures are appropriate for children and youth with and without disabilities between the ages of 6 and 21 years. They provide information about six dimensions of participation (i.e. diversity, intensity, where, with whom, enjoyment and preference) and two categories of recreation and leisure activities: (i) formal and informal activities; and (ii) five types of activities (recreational, active physical, social, skill-based and self-improvement). This paper presents information about the performance of the CAPE and PAC activity type scores using data from a study involving 427 children with physical disabilities between the ages of 6 and 15 years. Intensity, enjoyment and preference scores were significantly correlated with environmental, family and child variables, in expected ways. Predictions also were supported with respect to differences in mean scores for boys vs. girls, and children in various age groups. The information substantiates the construct validity of the measures. The clinical and research utility of the measures are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the effectiveness of the 10 main strategies used to provide transition education and planning services for youth with disabilities. The review suggests that multifaceted interventions are most effective. Integrated and comprehensive transition services should address skill instruction and self-awareness; provide customized informational, emotional, and instrumental supports to meet the needs of youth and families; provide direct opportunities and experiences for skill development; and address the welcoming nature of community activities and settings. The information can be used by rehabilitation managers and therapists in the design and delivery of transition services. Recommendations are made for future research with respect to strategies to facilitate youth transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the use and utility of the Life Needs Model of Pediatric Service Delivery at a regional children's rehabilitation center. The model is a transdisciplinary, evidence-based model that guides pediatric service delivery to meet the long-range goals of community participation and quality of life for children and youth with disabilities. The article describes the use of the model as a tool to assist with the development of organizational culture, strategic and operational planning, the development of therapists' expertise, and the development of community partnerships. The model also has influenced human resources practices, community relations activities, and research. The model provides needed direction to service planners about the types of services that are important to provide in a geographical region, and fills a gap in outlining the nature of services that can be encompassed in pediatric rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a conceptual model and review of the effectiveness of approaches for providing transition education and planning services for youth with disabilities. The model incorporates four approaches: skills training, prevocational/ vocational guidance, a client-centered approach, and an ecological/experiential approach. The model links these approaches to commonly used transition strategies, which reflect the personal, person-environment, and environmental levels of intervention. The model specifies the short-term goals addressed by the approaches and strategies and links these to the long-term outcome of multifaceted role engagement. Evidence for the effectiveness and utility of the identified approaches is reviewed. Recommendations are made for best practices in the delivery of transition education and planning services, for research, and for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study documents the development of hand and upper-extremity function in young children who have cerebral palsy (CP) with upper-extremity involvement using longitudinal data. Assessments of hand function and the quality of upper-extremity movement were conducted on 29 males and 22 females (mean age 36.2 months, SD 10.6; age range 16 to 60 months at baseline) and on four other occasions over 10 months. Linear mixed effects modeling was used to estimate average developmental curves and the degree of individual differences in the patterns of development which were conditional on the body-site distribution of CP and severity of impairments. Results indicate that hand function in this clinical population develops differently from overall upper-extremity skills with declines in function in upper-extremity skills being more common and pronounced among older children. However, there is substantial interindividual variation. Distribution of CP and severity of impairments were significant predictors of development. Results are discussed in terms of their clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOG-SP) is a 27-item self-assessment questionnaire for pediatric caregivers, designed to measure their reported implementation of family-centered service (FCS). The MPOG-SP was adapted from the well-validated and widely used measure in pediatric rehabilitation, the Measure of Processes of Care. In this article we describe the development, field testing, properties, and utility of this instrument.Four MPOC-SP factors were generated by exploratory factor analysis; each factor addresses a distinct facet of FCS (Cronbach's alpha for these scales is .86, .88, .76, and .84). Validity analyses revealed that MPOC-SP scale scores discriminate between reported caregiving behaviors and ideal levels of FCS implementation, and also reflect cross-discipline differences in professional roles. It is expected that the MPOC-SP will be useful in the program evaluations, research initiatives, and professional development endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]