Important elements of measuring participation for children who need or use power mobility: a modified Delphi survey

Abstract

Aim To identify and reach consensus on important elements of measuring participation in everyday life for children who need or use power mobility. Method A panel (n=74) of parents, therapists, and researchers with pediatric power mobility and participation expertise completed an online modified Delphi survey. Three rounds determined important elements of participation for two groups: early childhood (18mo–5y) and school‐aged (6–12y). ‘Elements of participation’ defined the ‘who, what, where, and how’ of measuring participation, generated from a literature review and participants’ suggestions. Consensus was set a priori as ≥80% agreement. Results Consensus was reached on 21 out of 48 elements of participation important to measure for our population: eight elements for the younger group and 18 elements for the older group. When ranked by importance, four of the top five elements were common across both age groups. Interpretation For children using power mobility, measuring participation in a variety of settings is critical, along with considering both the child's and family's participation. Evaluating child engagement and enjoyment of participation are priorities, as is measuring barriers and facilitators. For school‐aged children, evaluating child and parent reports of participation are essential. These elements can guide tool selection and/or development.

A systematic review of evidence‐based assessment practices by allied health practitioners for children with cerebral palsy

“…This lag between current understanding and clinical practice may in part be because of the slow uptake of assessment tool use by clinicians but may also reflect a lack of supply. Validated tools with items that adequately capture elements relevant to these important and culturally specific domains may not yet have been developed …”

Parent-to-Parent Support for Parents With Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Conceptual Framework

“…Several investigators have used this method in family-related studies, such as defining parenting strategies to help parents reduce the risk of their children developing depression and anxiety disorders (Yap, Fowler, Reavley, & Francis Jorm, 2015), developing an instrument to measure parental child discipline behaviours (Runyan et al, 2009), and reaching consensus on important elements of measuring participation in everyday life for children who need or use power mobility (Field, Miller, Jarus, Ryan, & Roxborough, 2014). The Delphi method is appropriate for the present study because there is incomplete knowledge about the constructs and components of parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are D/HH.…”

Screening for intellectual disability with the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Screening Questionnaire: a modified Delphi approach

“…The Delphi approach views diverse opinions as equally valid, thereby avoiding power differences between participant groups. 18,19 This approach has been adapted in a number of ways by researchers, including using responses to open-ended questions 18 and literature searches 19,20 to inform the topic in question. A purposive sampling approach was used throughout in order to include individuals with the knowledge and experience to meaningfully contribute to the research; 21 that is, to identify potential and actual areas of impact of screening for intellectual disability.…”