ContextOccupational therapy Target population 0-to 6-year-old children with physical disabilities
Objectives Play assessmentShort description The Assessment of Ludic Behaviour (ALB) is a criterion-referenced evaluation tool designed to assess the development of the social and object play in children with motor impairments. The assessment procedure includes a parent's interview and the observation of child's free play behaviour.The Initial Interview with Parents on the Ludic Behavior of Their Child (Ferland, 1997(Ferland, , 2005) provides information on the child's play behaviour at home from the parents' perspective. It provides information about the child's play material, toy preferences, play interests, favourite playmates, most functional position to play and frequency of play in the family environment.The purpose of the observational assessment is to characterize the qualitative and individual aspects of a child's play behaviour with respect to his/her play interests, play abilities, and play attitude. The manner in which the child communicates is noted as well.Based on observation procedure, five different areas are examined, encompassing different categories: General level of interest and motivation (Human, Sensory); Basic Ludic Abilities (Action with regard to objects, Action with regard to space, Use of objects, Use of space); Ludic Interest (Action with regard to objects, Action with regard to space, Use of objects, Use of space); Ludic attitude (Curiosity, Initiative, Sense of humour, Pleasure, Enjoyment of challenge, Spontaneity); Communication in play. Each area encompasses a different number of items, scored according to a 3-point scale. The evaluator scores the items with the aid of a check list while the child is playing; at the end of the session if some item has not been observed the evaluator can initiate the play activity trying to involve the child.The ALB can be used to set up play-based interventions.