Young Children's Participation Research Articles

Surfacing complexity in shared book reading: The role of affordance, repetition and modal appropriation in children's participation

Adult-child shared-book-reading (SBR) is an everyday practice that is fundamental to young children's early engagement with literature. Its potential for supporting young children's participation in literacy is of continuing interest to parents, practitioners, researchers and policymakers alike. However, there is limited research involving critical examination of the processes involved in SBR, particularly of interaction beyond verbal language and of the ways in which differing social contexts influence children's participation. Through close examination of two children's involvement in eight SBR episodes using a multimodal lens, this paper surfaces complexity in the ways in which different contexts and children's previous experience of the text afford differential participation and influence narrative interpretations. The findings contribute to understandings of how SBR practices, and the role of affordance, repetition and modal appropriation, shape children's early engagement with literature.

Barriers and facilitators to community participation for preschool age children born very preterm: a prospective cohort study.

We compared preschool age children born very preterm with term-born controls to: (1) understand the association between very preterm birth and community participation, (2) determine if motor impairment or social risk affect participation differently between groups, and (3) understand environmental barriers and supports to participation for parents. Forty-eight children born very preterm (<30wks' gestation; 22 males, 26 females) and 96 controls (47 males, 49 females) were assessed at 4 to 5 years' corrected age for community participation using the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure. Motor skills were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition and the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire. Children born very preterm participated less frequently than term-born children (difference in means=-0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.54 to -0.03, p=0.029). Social risk was associated with lower frequency (interaction p<0.001) and involvement (interaction p=0.05) in community activities for children in the very preterm group only. Parents of children born very preterm perceived more barriers (odds ratio=4.32, 95% CI 1.46-12.77, p=0.008) and environmental factors to be less supportive of participation than parents of controls (difference in medians=-6.21, 95% CI -11.42 to -1.00, p=0.02). Children born very preterm may benefit from ongoing support to promote participation, especially in families of higher social risk.

Desigualdade e pandemia nas vidas das brasileirinhas e dos brasileirinhos

Este artigo destaca a participação das crianças pequenas e a relação de reciprocidade da infância com a sociedade de classes. Tem como ponto de partida pesquisa de doutorado e fundamentado na Sociologia da Infância, explora os impactos da Pandemia de Covid-19 na vida e educação das crianças pequenas. Trata das infâncias no plural por entender que, para além da diversidade presente em nosso país, há também diferentes focos de análise sobre este grupo social. Conclui que apesar de, do ponto de vista médico e da saúde, as crianças serem menos suscetíveis aos danos causados pelo vírus, a infância como categoria social é das mais afetados pela crise do capital que, embora já estivesse em andamento, teve na crise sanitária uma consequência agravante em razão do isolamento social que potencializou a queda da renda familiar, o desemprego e a precarização do trabalho. Essa situação aprofundou as desigualdades sociais e colocou as brasileirinhas e brasileirinhos em perigo.

Positive Dynamic Partial Effects of Head Start for Jointly Dependent Good and Bad Outcomes

We adopt a framework to specify a household's child development technology with a set of interdependent inputs and outputs, finding significant, productive dynamic effects due to young children's Head Start participation. Our panel data estimates show that initial counter-productive partial effects from Head Start relative to non-Head Start participation are quickly overcome as the child matures so that this program causes significant improvements in math and reading scores as well as a significant reduction of behavioral problems over time. Measures of technical efficiency and productivity change over time for children with Head Start are highly consistent with these trends.

Take the pressure down: investigating the influence of peer pressure on participation desire in child-oriented brand communities

ABSTRACT Given the connectedness modern technology provides for communication, peer pressure is becoming more prevalent amongst children, with children often pressured into using certain brands by their peers. Australian children participated in one of three experimental studies to assess the impact of peer pressure, fear of social exclusion, and age on brand community participation desire. Peer pressure had a significant effect on participation desire through influencing fear of social exclusion; however, the effect was dependent upon the child’s age. Children between six and 11 years were likely to participate due to peer pressure, with the effect attenuating for older children. This research presents useful insights for parents, academics, and practitioners regarding child-oriented brand communities and the implications of participation for young children. Brands can benefit from an understanding of how young consumers come to engage in brand communities so that monitoring efforts can be developed as safeguards for children and brands.

A Multidisciplinary Delphi Consensus Study of Communicative Participation in Young Children With Language Disorders.

Purpose Our aim was to develop consensus on the definition and operationalization of communicative participation (CP) in 2- to 8-year-old children with language disorders (LDs). A clear definition and operationalization can facilitate the discussion about children's communication problems in daily life between parents and professionals. Method In an online Delphi study, anonymized thoughts and opinions were collected on the definition and operationalization of CP in young children with LD. The 47 Delphi panel members were Dutch parents, young adults with LDs, teachers and assistants, speech-language pathologists, clinical linguists, and clinical researchers. Thematic content analysis was used to develop a concept definition and items operationalizing CP. The Delphi panel rated the suitability of concept definitions using a 7-point Likert scale. Concept definitions were revised with feedback from the Delphi panel until consensus was achieved. The Delphi panel rated items on how well they operationalize CP, using the same Likert scale. Results The majority (79%) of the Delphi panel indicated that the essence of CP was captured by the definition: "CP is understanding and being understood in a social context, by applying verbal and non-verbal communication skills." In addition, 33 behavioral items were developed. Conclusion This study resulted in strong consensus on the definition of CP between Dutch parents and professionals. Items were developed that can inform speech-language pathologists on the type of questions to ask a child's parents or teacher when discussing CP. Further research is needed on how the items can best be used in clinical practice.

Development and Pilot Testing a Self-Reported Pediatric PROMIS App for Young Children Aged 5–7 Years

PurposeThe aims of this study are threefold. Firstly, Using the state of science PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) methods to develop a smartphone application to monitor the emotional distress for young children aged 5–7 years old; Secondly, to test the usability of this application; and thirdly, to determine the level of agreement between reports by parents and young children's self-report. Design and methodsA multidisciplinary research team, made up of senior pediatric nurses and doctors, software engineers' team, and pediatric health researchers worked together to develop this application. Three phases of stakeholders and user studies were conducted. Phase 1 focused on prototype development; Phase 2 involved cognitive interview and usability testing; Phases 3 focused on the pilot testing of this application. ResultsWe included the original parent proxy reporting version of Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-emotional distress in the application, as well as self-reporting animated version for young children. After many rounds of modification, all participants felt that this application was easy to use and the animated items were easy to understand for young children aged 5–7 years. Correlations between parents-children reports are significant and moderate, parents underestimated child depression, and overestimated child anger and anxiety compared to child self-report. ConclusionsThis smartphone application and its Web-based administration portal demonstrate good usability and are well accepted by young children aged 5–7 years, which can be used to promote young children's participation when reporting or assessing symptoms of young pediatric patients. Practice implicationsParent reports cannot be substituted for child reports and evaluations of pediatric patients' perspectives regarding treatment outcomes should be included in pediatric clinic. This animated application can be used as a smart measurement to investigate the symptoms for young children aged 5–7 years, so as to amplify young children's voice in clinical care.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home Scale (PSEQ-H).

The impact of sensory processing challenges on occupational participation is underrepresented by existing measurement tools even though these outcomes are highly prioritized by families. The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home Scale (PSEQ-H) is a parent-report assessment designed to evaluate the impact of the sensory environment on young children's participation in home-based activities. To describe the psychometric evaluation of the PSEQ-H, including the tool's structural validity; item difficulty, discrimination, and bias; reliability; and construct validity. Psychometric field study. Community. Three hundred four parents of children ages 2-7 yr (167 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder). Parent-report PSEQ-H data were factor analyzed, calibrated using Item Response Theory, and evaluated for construct validity. The final PSEQ-H is a reliable and valid 15-item parent-report measure of the sensory environment's impact on children's dressing, self-care, sleep, and social and play activities. The PSEQ-H can be used to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for reducing the impact of the sensory environment on children's participation in home-based tasks and activities. The PSEQ-H measures how young children's sensory environments influence their participation at home. The measure can be used to plan and evaluate occupational therapy interventions that aim to reduce sensory processing-related barriers to children's completion of developmentally salient activities.

Parents' perspectives on participation of young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and/ or autism spectrum disorder: A systematic scoping review.

During the early years of a child's life, participation is essential for learning and development. Children with disabilities are at risk for decreased participation. The interplay between environment and participation is identified as one of the most important factors influencing successful participation. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize peer-reviewed literature about barriers and facilitators of participation according to the perspective of parents of children younger than 6 years with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and/ or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Relevant studies were identified by a comprehensive search of scientific databases (PubMed and Web of Science). Studies describing perspectives of parents regarding their child's participation, written in English, and published between 2001 and September 2017 were included. A total of 854 articles were retrieved, with 13 meeting the criteria. Elements contributing to perceived barriers and facilitators were identified and organized according to the International Classification of Functioning, Child-Youth framework. Concepts contained in these studies were linked to "activities and participation" (general tasks and demands, such as bedtime and dinner routines, and social, civic life, such as play and leisure). Environment-focused factors identified were situated on "support and relationships, " "attitudes, " and "services, systems, and policies." The review revealed guidelines focusing on family-centred care, communication with, and providing information to parents with young children with developmental disabilities (ADHD, DCD, and/ or ASD).

INFANCY WITHIN ADVERTISING PLATFORM: YOUNG CHILDREN EXPERIENCES ON A VIDEO-SHARING WEBSITE.

This paper investigates how young children experience digital advertising platforms. Specifically, it focuses on young children's participation in the YouTube app as part of an advertising mechanism that captures and profits from their views and attention. An innovative trans-disciplinary bridge between digital labour studies, biopolitics theory and qualitative research on children online has been developed to achieve this aim. The fact that children are going online progressively earlier raises critical questions around what they are experiencing in the virtual world. Data has become a way to profit and digital technology has become the infrastructure for capitalism permanence. This process of making a profit on user’s information leads to issues around trust and the confluence of surveillance and profit. It also raises questions around the persistence of Marxist concepts such as surplus labour, surplus value, and labour exploitation within the platform economy. Furthermore, in this environment one cannot disregard the relationship of power and the government of life; biopolitics should not be dissociable from capitalism. Thus, considering the early stage of young children’s cognitive development and their consequent vulnerability is urgent to understand how young children contribute to the political economy of the digital platform. The extent to which parents/caregivers and teachers are knowledgeable about the models of data mining, statistical profiling and corporate profit-generation that occur within this digital environment is also being investigated.

Eye-gaze control technology holds the potential to promote communication skills in young children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy, but more rigorous research is needed to prove its effectiveness

Q Is eye-gaze control technology feasible and effective in improving communication and participation for young children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy?Design: The study used a pretest-posttest desi...

Family Social Participation in Young Children With Autism: Phenomenological Analyses

Abstract Date Presented 04/05/19 This phenomenological study explored and illuminated the experiences and meaning of social participation in families raising a young child with autism. Ten families were recruited and interviewed. Phenomenological analyses revealed that family experiences and meaning related to social participation included 1) divide and conquer, 2) occupation in isolation, and 3) pausing to reset engagement. Results suggest impoverished family occupation of social participation begins in early childhood. Additional Authors and Speakers: Beth DeGrace Primary Author and Speaker: Julie Smith

Reliability and Factor Structure of the Participation and Sensory Environment Community Questionnaire (PSEQ-C)

Abstract Date Presented 04/06/19 The purpose of this study was to examine internal consistency, factor structure, and test-retest reliability of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire Community Version (PSEQ-C). The PSEQ-C is intended to assess parent and caregiver perceptions of the degree to which the sensory environment impedes young children's participation in community activities. Additionally, this study examined differences in participation between children without and with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Primary Author and Speaker: Beth Pfeiffer Additional Authors and Speakers: Katherine Bevans, Aimee Piller

The Infant Toddler Activity Card Sort: A Caregiver Report Measure of Children's Occupational Engagement in Family Activities and Routines.

Early intervention (EI) therapy services aim to address family-centered goals to facilitate young children's development and participation in meaningful life activities. Current methods to evaluate children in EI assess discrete developmental skills but provide little information on the child's ability to successfully incorporate that skill in everyday life. Furthermore, traditional measures have limited opportunity for parent report, despite parent engagement being a critical component for successful implementation of EI services. A measure that involves parents in the therapeutic process to track family-driven EI goals related to a child's occupational engagement in meaningful family activities and routines is desperately needed. Using a qualitative design and conventional content analysis, we identified 41 distinct activities of infant-toddlers from a cohort of 23 caregivers. Activity items were matched with photographs and validated with experts in pediatric rehabilitation using the Delphi method. The resulting 40 activity/photograph pairs were used to develop a new measure of pediatric occupational engagement, the Infant Toddler Activity Card Sort (ITACS).

The Interdependence of Motor and Social Skill Development: Influence on Participation.

Participation is a major outcome area for physical therapists serving young children with disabilities. Contemporary models of disability such as the International Classification of Function, developmental theories such as the system perspective, and evidence-based early childhood practices recognize the interdependence of developmental domains, and suggest that change in 1 area of development influences change in another. Physical therapy provided in naturally occurring activities and routines, considered the preferred service delivery method, promotes participation of young children with disabilities. Research indicates that: (1) children develop skills, become independent, and form relationships through participation; and (2) with developing skills, children can increasingly participate. The purpose of this Perspective article is to synthesize the literature examining the relationship between motor skill development and the social interaction dimension of participation in young children. Current research examining the influence of motor skill development on social interactions in children with autism spectrum disorder will be discussed, exemplifying the interdependence of developmental domains. Implications for physical therapist practice and recommendations for future research are provided.

Using an interactive communication tool in healthcare situations: Patterns in young children's use of participation cues.

This study forms part of a larger project about developing and using interactive technology to facilitate young children's participation in healthcare situations. Children's participation in these situations improves their motivation and situated understanding. Likewise, their participation helps professionals to more fully understand the child's perspective. In the project, an interactive communication tool, that is, an application suitable for tablet use, was developed with children, aged three to five, in two clinical settings. When tested, the children's participation cues, identified from video recordings of healthcare situations, were understood as having curious, thoughtful or affirmative meanings. This study aimed to investigate the similarities and differences in the young children's use of participation cues when using an interactive communication tool in healthcare situations. A secondary analysis of the identified cues was performed focusing on age, setting and examination or procedure. In total, 2167 cues were identified representing either curious, thoughtful or affirmative cues. The curious cues were mainly used (66%), followed by thoughtful (28%) and affirmative (6%) cues. Differences in cue usage were seen in relation to the children's age and setting. Knowing how children may react to common healthcare procedures may help increase healthcare professionals' awareness of the need to support children in an individual and situational way.

"It's like you are in the jungle": Using the draw-and-tell method to explore preschool children's play preferences and factors that shape their active play.

A child's preference for active or sedentary play is a key proximal indicator of a child's physical activity behaviour. There is a need to understand children's physical activity preferences in order to make physical play more enjoyable to them, and this may encourage participation and a more positive relationship with physical activity. To date, little research has incorporated the perspectives of young children on this topic. This study specifically examines (a) what activities preschool children prefer; and (b) what children consider to be barriers and facilitators to participating in their preferred activity. The authors employed visual methodologies to explore the activity preferences of 29 preschool children. Children were asked to draw their preferred activities and answer a series of open and closed questions about their drawing and what they think are the barriers and facilitators to participating in this activity. Participants expressed a desire to play unstructured activities with friends or family, to engage in imaginative, challenging play, as well as the opportunity to have control over the activity they engage in. Children reported that rules at home and at preschool, the availability of toys, friends and family and having access to a natural environment served as both barriers and facilitators to participating in their favourite activity. Listening to children's voices about their play preferences and the barriers and facilitators to engaging in these activities provides important insight into children's play behaviour and the promotion of active play in early childhood. Participants' desire for more natural features within their play environment and for challenging, unstructured and imaginative play may be considered as facilitators of their engagement in physical activity. SO WHAT?: The current findings suggest the incorporation of unstructured playtime within natural environments could support young children's participation in and increased enjoyment of physical activity.

Are Today’s Students With Disabilities More Likely to Attend Full-Day Kindergarten or Part-Day Kindergarten? Analysis of Two Cohorts of Students and Their Teachers

Some education policy analysts have called for increased participation of young children in full-day kindergarten programs as opposed to part-day kindergarten. However, little is known about whether students with disabilities are increasingly attending these programs and what their teachers are like. This study addresses this gap by examining whether the full-day kindergarten-going patterns have changed within two nationally representative cohorts of kindergartners (Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten classes of 1998 and 2010). The findings suggest that a greater percentage of students with disabilities are enrolled in full-day kindergarten programs in 2010 (approximately 80%) than in 1998 (approximately 55%). Comparing full-day kindergarten enrollees between the two cohorts, there were no differences in teachers’ years of experience or degrees, though full-day kindergarten enrollees in 2010 had teachers with less early education and special education coursework. However, full-day kindergarten enrollees in 2010 were more likely to be in classrooms with a special education teacher’s aide. Implications are discussed.

Child-centred Care – Health Professionals' Perceptions of What Aspects are Meaningful When Using Interactive Technology as a Facilitator in Healthcare Situations

PurposeA prerequisite for child-centred care is children's participation, which in paediatrics can partly be enhanced by using interactive technology solutions, for instance tablet or smartphone-based applications. These applications, however, mainly target older children. In a research project, a tablet-based application, i.e. a communication tool, was developed, meant to facilitate young children's participation in healthcare situations. This study explored health professionals' perceptions of what aspects are meaningful when jointly using such an application in healthcare situations. Design/MethodsUsing the critical incident technique, 18 qualitative, semi-structured interviews focusing on critical incidents were performed with four health professionals who had used the interactive communication tool together with children in various healthcare situations. The data were analysed according to inductive content analysis. ResultsResults showed that the health professionals described the use of the tool as meaningful because it provided information that helped the children increase their participation, modify their understanding of the situations, and reduce their fear. The tool was also perceived to contribute to a common language between the children and the professionals, which improved their overall communication. ConclusionThe introduction of an interactive communication tool in healthcare situations seemed to be beneficial for both the children and the health professionals. Practice ImplicationsAn interactive communication tool, facilitating both verbal and non-verbal communication, can reinforce children's participation in healthcare situations and contribute to positive outcomes in the child-professional relationship, as well as in the situation itself.

Differences between Pre-School Children with and without Special Educational Needs Functioning, Participation, and Environmental Barriers at Home and in Community Settings: An International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health for Children and Youth Approach

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY; WHO, 2007) provides a framework for child functioning with an emphasis on child participation. Participation is defined as “involvement in life situations” and can be influenced by both child characteristics (health conditions, body functions and structures) and by contextual factors (facilitators or barriers of the physical or social environment) (WHO, 2007). This study aimed at characterizing functioning of pre-school aged children, based on their frequency of participation in home and community activities and on the perception of environmental barriers to their participation by parents, using an ICF-CY approach. Differences between children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) (n = 42) and children without SEN (n = 74) were analyzed. Parents of 116 children from Porto District (Portugal) completed an adapted version of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM; Khetani et al., 2013a). To assess child functioning, pre-school teachers completed 6 items of the Matrix for Assessment of Activities and Participation (MAAP; Castro & Pinto, 2015), corresponding to 6 code sets of the ICF-CY Developmental Code Sets (Ellingsen & Simmeonsson, 2011). Children with SEN showed lower levels of functioning when compared to children without SEN, according to their pre-school teachers. Parents of children with SEN reported that their children participated less frequently in home activities. Specifically, significant differences were found in household chores, at home. Parents of children with SEN perceived more environmental factors as barriers in both settings when compared to parents of children without SEN. Differences between groups in specific environmental factors are presented with reference to the YC-PEM environmental content linked to the ICF-CY environmental domains (Khetani, 2015). Findings highlight the importance of identifying and adjusting environmental barriers, through family centered practices, to promote child participation and overall functioning. The adoption of the ICF-CY (WHO, 2007) is recommended when implementing and monitoring inclusive services and practices. Results are further analyzed and discussed with reference to the biopsychosocial model of the ICF-CY (WHO, 2007)