Participation Patterns and Associated Factors in Japanese Children With Autism

Abstract

Background: Children’s participation is an important outcome for children, families, and rehabilitation. Objectives: We compared participation patterns (home and community) of 6- to 12-year-old Japanese children with autism and children with typical development (TD) and explored the associations of participation with familial, environmental, and child-related factors. Method: Twenty-five mothers of children with autism and 21 mothers of TD children completed a survey covering their child’s participation and environment, family empowerment, autism symptoms, sensory processing, behavior, and demographic characteristics. Results: Children with autism showed restricted home and community participation. Home involvement was associated with family empowerment and the children’s age, whereas home frequency was linked to environmental supportiveness and household income. Conclusion: Japanese children with autism need appropriate support to address decreased participation. Occupational therapists may focus on family empowerment and the child’s environment to facilitate the home participation of children with autism.

Participation as a Predictor of Quality of Life among Japanese Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders Analyzed Using a Machine Learning Algorithm

“…The PEM-CY is an evaluation tool reported by parents that gauges the involvement of children and youth, both with and without disabilities, and the environmental influences that impact their engagement in three distinct environments: home, school, and the community [15][16][17]. The measure has two sections: a participation section and an environment section.…”

“…To improve the QOL of children with NDDs, it is important to focus participation interventions on both the public and private environments. Home participation scores have been found to be lower in children with autism spectrum disorder [15,[26][27][28], ADHD [29], developmental coordination disorder [30], and specific learning disorders [31] compared to children without disabilities. Bowlby's [32] concept of "a secure base" highlights the importance of home participation, primarily because enhancing home participation and making the home a secure base could lead to better participation in school and community environments.…”