Affordance-based Approach with Loose Play Items for Children’s Restoration in Nigerian Paediatric Settings

Abstract

Studies on children’s hospital play in both indoor and outdoor settings have indicated relative degrees of psychological support for children's health restoration process. This Paediatric-centered action research with children in ambulatory and non-ambulatory care employs an affordance-based approach with loose play items, termed features-user affordance, to enhance hospitalized children’s restoration. The objective of this study is to ascertain the value of Paediatric play using loose items in a Nigerian hospital context. The benefits are measured in terms of children's behaviours such as movement and interaction with their peers and caregivers, as a result of the treatment they have received in the ward as a play setting. Twelve children, aged 3-7 years, from the Paediatric ward of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, were selected to receive treatment in a ward cubicle designed with loose play items. Their behavioural responses were elicited by the researcher using video recording of their actions and behaviours. This was followed by structured interviews with caregivers comprising six physicians and nine nurses. The data was analysed using descriptive content analysis. It was found that play using loose items increased movement, engaged and sustained social interaction and verbal conversations. Responses from caregivers indicated changes in children’s behaviour in terms of child management and cooperation. The study suggests that loose play items as intervention measures provide a complementary approach for supporting hospitalized children’s functioning in Paediatric ward settings.