Modeling quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases: the role of pain catastrophizing,fear-avoidance beliefs,physical disability,and depression

Purpose: To examine factors in the fear-avoidance model, such as pain, pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, physical disability, and depression and their relationships with physical and psychological quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Materials and methods: The data were obtained from 360 patients with rheumatic diseases who completed self-report measures assessing study variables. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships among factors specified in the fear-avoidance model predicting physical and psychological quality of life.

Results: Final models fit the data well, explaining 96% and 82% of the variance in physical and psychological quality of life, respectively. Higher pain catastrophizing was related to stronger fear-avoidance beliefs that had a direct negative association with physical disability and depression, which, in turn, negatively affected physical quality of life. Pain severity was also directly related to physical disability. Physical disability also affected physical quality of life indirectly through depression. The hypothesized relationships specified in the model were also confirmed for psychological quality of life. However, physical disability had an indirect association with psychological quality of life via depression.

Conclusion: The current results underscore the significant role of cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors in perceived physical disability and their mediated detrimental effect on physical and psychological quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• The fear-avoidance model is applicable to the prediction of quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.

• As pain-catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs are important factors linked to physical disability and depression, intervening these cognitive factors is necessary to improve physical function and depression in patients with rheumatic diseases.

• Considering the strong association between depression and physical and psychological quality of life, the assessment and treatment of the former should be included in the rehabilitation of patients with rheumatic diseases.

• Interventions targeting physical function and depression are likely to be effective in terms of improving physical and psychological quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.

     

Ranges of active joint motion for the shoulder,elbow, and wrist in healthy adults

Purpose: The aim of this study was to show highly reliable normal values and three-dimensional characteristics for final range of motion during active movements of the upper extremity joints, and to develop a database from healthy participants, with the advantage of this database lying in the methods of defining shoulder axial rotation angle and of compensating for soft tissue artifacts. Methods: We used an electromagnetic tracking system (FASTRAK) to measure three-dimensional motions of the shoulder (thoracohumeral), elbow/forearm, and wrist in 20 healthy adults (age range: 18–34 years) during active joint motion tasks of the upper extremity. Results: Joint angles of the upper extremity at the final position of joint motion tasks were determined. Highly reliable data for shoulder axial rotation angle were obtained, using a new definition of joint angle and regression analysis to compensate for estimation errors. Conclusions: These results should be useful in setting goals for the treatment of upper extremity joint functions in the fields of rehabilitation, orthopedics, and sports medicine.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Complex joint motions that occur naturally (unconsciously) about some axes should be taken into account in interventions for range of joint motion (ROM).

• The data obtained through this study simultaneously indicating multiple interrelated angles can be used as reference values for maximum active ROM.

• ROM in the directions of motion involved in the various tasks (for example, elevation angle during shoulder flexion) may have a role to play in evaluating and setting goals for patients with impaired ROM of the arm joints.

     

Determinants of pain,disability, health-related quality of life and physical performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis awaiting total joint arthroplasty

Abstract

Purpose: In patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis awaiting knee arthroplasty, to measure associations between several selected determinants and pain, disability, health-related quality of life and physical performance.

Material and methods: Validated self-reported measures were collected: (1) Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, (2) Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) and (3) Short-Form 36 (SF-36). Physical performance was also assessed with four validated performance tests. Demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics of the participants were also measured. Multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate potential associations.

Results: Higher fear-avoidance beliefs, greater comorbidities, psychological distress and use of a walking aid were significantly associated with worse pain, function or HRQOL (p?<?0.05) and explained 12%–35% of the variances of the self-reported measure scores. Pretest pain and change in pain during posttest, greater comorbidities, psychological distress and use of a walking aid were significantly associated with worse performance on the physical tests (p?<?0.05) and explained 41%–59% of the variances of the different physical tests results.

Conclusions: Several determinants were significantly associated with worse pain, disability, health-related quality of life or physical performance. Several of these associations may be considered clinically important, including psychosocial determinants in relation to self-reported measures, but to physical performance as well.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• Knee osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent and disabling condition incurring important socioeconomic costs.

• Several modifiable determinants have been shown to contribute to pain and disability in individuals suffering from knee OA awaiting TKA.

• Recent studies demonstrated the efficacy of education and rehabilitation (prehabilitation) in individuals awaiting TKA.

     

The effect of adaptive sports on employment among people with disabilities

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of adaptive sport in predicting employment for individuals with physical disabilities. Method: This study is cross-sectional. We collected survey data on employment and other covariates including education, age, age at disability onset, veteran status and athletic classification from 140 mobility impaired athletes who play either wheelchair rugby or wheelchair basketball. Results: One hundred and thirty-one participants were studied. Our analysis shows that playing an additional year of adaptive sport is associated with an approximately 4% increase in likelihood of employment. Education and duration of disability are found to be positive predictors of employment, while veteran status and severity of injury are negative predictors of employment. Age of disability onset is not found to be a predictor of employment when other controls are included. Conclusions: This result indicates that a substantial economic benefit would result from increased participation in adaptive sport, and therefore may justify additional funding to expand adaptive sport programs.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Employment rates are very low among individuals with physical disabilities, despite research indicating extensive benefits from employment.

• Participation in adaptive sport is associated with a higher likelihood of employment.

• Efforts to increase participation in adaptive sport could have a large economic benefit.

     

Early maladaptive schema factors,pain intensity,depressiveness and pain disability: an analysis of biopsychosocial models of pain

Purpose: To test different biopsychosocial models of pain within two different samples. Method: Early maladaptive schemas, pain intensity, depressiveness and pain disability were assessed using questionnaire data from 271 first visit pain patients and 276 municipal employees as controls. Exploratory factor analysis was used as the early maladaptive schema factor extraction method and path analysis as the model specification and estimation method. Results: Cross-sectionally, early maladaptive schema factors were predictors of depressiveness in both groups. The effect size of depressiveness on pain disability was 11 times that of the pain intensity in the pain patient group. The situation was opposite in the control group, where effect size of pain intensity was 5.6 times that of depressiveness. In subgroups of pain duration, the effect size of pain intensity on pain disability became insignificant when pain duration was more than 2 years in pain patients. Conclusions: The study supported the importance of early emotional adversities in predicting depressiveness especially among pain patients. Depressiveness was the main predictor of pain disability in the pain patient group and as the pain duration increased, the significance of pain intensity on disability vanished. Pain intensity was the main predictor of pain disability in the control group.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• To decrease disability among chronic pain patients is mainly to treat their depressiveness.

• To decrease disability among people with mild pain is mainly to treat their pain intensity.

• The focus of psychotherapy among depressive chronic pain patients should be a pattern of inadequacy, shame, submission, failure, social isolation and dependence.

     

Young adults with intellectual disability transitioning from school to post-school: A literature review framed within the ICF

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to describe literature relating to transition for young people with an intellectual disability and identify gaps within the current knowledge base. Method: A narrative literature review was undertaken. Searches of databases Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, ISI Web of Science and ProQuest 500 International provided relevant research articles. The search terms used were intellectual disability, transition, employment, and ICF as well as other terms derived from the ICF. Manual searches of reference lists identified additional studies. Furthermore, government websites were searched for relevant reports and policies. Results: Transition literature was explored by ICF domains; body functions and structures, activity and participation and contextual factors. Studies were identified in some but not all areas and included literature describing self-determination and participation in leisure activities for those with mild intellectual disability. However, significant gaps were found particularly for those with severe intellectual disability. Conclusions: The ICF is a useful tool in framing a review of transition literature for young people with intellectual disability due to the complexity and multi-faceted nature of transition. The important influence of environmental factors including family systems, post-school services and access to transport were highlighted as having considerable impacts on transition outcomes.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• The ICF is a useful tool in framing transition research to identify gaps.

• The current body of literature in transition from school for young adults with intellectual disabilities is too singularly focused and rarely considers those with moderate to severe intellectual disability.

• There has been little research on this topic in low and middle income countries.

• The scale of the impact of environmental factors on young people transitioning from school to post-school is currently under-represented.

• A holistic approach to post-school outcomes needs to be undertaken in future research.

     

Change in kinesiophobia and its relation to activity limitation after multidisciplinary rehabilitation in patients with chronic back pain

Purpose: To explore the change in kinesiophobia in relation to activity limitation after a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic back pain. Method: A prospective cohort study was made including 265 patients. Data were collected at baseline, after rehabilitation, and at 6-months follow-up. Outcome measures were the Tampa Scale for kinesiophobia (TSK) and the disability rating index (DRI). The smallest detectable change (SDC) in TSK was set to 8 scores. Relationships between kinesiophobia and activity limitation/physical ability were explored with regard to subgroups with high, medium and low baseline TSK scores, and for those patients who did or did not reach the SDC in TSK. Results: Improvements in TSK showed high effect sizes in the groups with high and medium baseline TSK scores. Improvements in DRI showed medium effect sizes in all three TSK subgroups. One third of the patients reached the SDC in TSK, and this group also improved significantly more in DRI. The correlation between change in TSK and change in DRI was low. Half of the patients with high TSK score at baseline remained having high DRI at follow-up. Conclusions: Improvement in physical ability was not related to the initial degree of kinesiophobia but to the SDC in TSK. To prevent patients with high kinesiophobia from preserving high activity limitations, it might be useful to include targeted treatment of kinesiophobia.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Intensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation decreases kinesiophobia and activity limitation in patients with chronic back pain.

• Patients improving >8 scores on the Tampa Scale for kinesiophobia are likely to increase their physical ability.

• Patients with an initially high degree of kinesiophobia as well as a high level of activity limitation need targeted treatment of kinesiophobia to increase their physical ability.

     

Addressing the barriers to accessing therapy services in rural and remote areas

Abstract

Purpose: Throughout the world, people with a disability who live in rural and remote areas experience difficulty accessing a range of community-based services including speech-, physio- and occupational therapy. This paper draws on information gathered from carers and adults with a disability living in a rural area in New South Wales (NSW), Australia to determine the extent to which people living in rural areas may receive a person-centred therapy service. Methods: As part of a larger study in rural NSW into the delivery of therapy services, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 78 carers and 10 adults with a disability. Data were analysed using constant comparison and thematic analysis. Results: Three related themes emerged: (i) travelling to access therapy; (ii) waiting a long time to get therapy; and (iii) limited access to therapy past early childhood. The themes overlaid the problems of recruiting and retaining sufficient therapists to work in rural areas. Conclusions: Community-based rehabilitation principles offer possibilities for increasing person-centred therapy services. We propose a person-centred and place-based approach that builds on existing service delivery models in the region and involves four inter-related strategies aimed at reducing travel and waiting times and with applicability across the life course.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Therapy service delivery in rural and remote areas requires:

• Place-based and person centred strategies to build local capacity in communities.

• Responsive outreach programs working with individuals and local communities.

• Recognition of the need to support families who must travel to access remotely located specialist services.

• Innovative use of technology to supplement and enhance service delivery.

     

Shoulder function and active motion deficit in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Purpose: To discover whether there are differences between patients with RA with and without active motion deficit in the shoulder (passive ROM greater than active ROM) concerning disease characteristics and shoulder function, and examine the role of active motion deficit in explaining limitations of shoulder function in daily life. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 123 patients with RA having shoulder pain. Disease activity and duration of shoulder pain and disease were registered, active and passive shoulder ROM, pain and muscle strength were measured. Shoulder function in daily life was assessed by Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH). Results: Patients with active motion deficit (36%) had statistical significant worse scores on disease activity, shoulder pain, muscle strength, and DASH function than those without active motion deficit (p ≤ 0.05). No differences between the groups were found for duration of shoulder pain or disease (p > 0.05). Active motion deficit, passive ROM, muscle strength and pain explained 33.7% of the variation in the DASH function score. Conclusion: Active motion deficit in the shoulder seems frequent in patients with RA. Together with passive ROM, muscle strength and pain, active motion deficit explained about one-third of the limitations in shoulder function in daily life.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints and periarticular tissue. Pain, muscle weakness, and joint destruction may result in reduced range of motion (ROM), which in turn may affect the performance of activities in daily life.

• Shoulder affection is frequent in patients with RA. About one-third of the patients in the present study had an active motion deficit in the shoulders.

• Patients with active motion deficit had more shoulder pain and more impaired shoulder function than those without deficit. Active motion deficit associated with limitations in shoulder function in daily life.

     

Assessing work disability for social security benefits: international models for the direct assessment of work capacity

Abstract

Purpose: It has been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess claimants’ work capacity, rather than relying on proxies such as on functioning. However, there is little academic discussion of how such assessments could be conducted.

Method: The article presents an account of different models of direct disability assessments based on case studies of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, utilising over 150 documents and 40 expert interviews.

Results: Three models of direct work disability assessments can be observed: (i) structured assessment, which measures the functional demands of jobs across the national economy and compares these to claimants’ functional capacities; (ii) demonstrated assessment, which looks at claimants’ actual experiences in the labour market and infers a lack of work capacity from the failure of a concerned rehabilitation attempt; and (iii) expert assessment, based on the judgement of skilled professionals.

Conclusions: Direct disability assessment within social security is not just theoretically desirable, but can be implemented in practice. We have shown that there are three distinct ways that this can be done, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Further research is needed to clarify the costs, validity/legitimacy, and consequences of these different models.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• It has recently been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess work capacity rather than simply assessing functioning – but we have no understanding about how this can be done in practice.

• Based on case studies of nine countries, we show that direct disability assessment can be implemented, and argue that there are three different ways of doing it.

• These are “demonstrated assessment” (using claimants’ experiences in the labour market), “structured assessment” (matching functional requirements to workplace demands), and “expert assessment” (the judgement of skilled professionals).

• While it is possible to implement a direct assessment of work capacity for social security benefits, further research is necessary to understand how best to maximise validity, legitimacy, and cost-effectiveness.

     

A comparative review of measurement instruments to inform and evaluate effectiveness of disability inclusive development

Abstract

Purpose: A review of existing measurement instruments was conducted to examine their suitability to measure disability prevalence and assess quality of life, protection of disability rights and community participation by people with disabilities, specifically within the context of development programs in low and middle-income countries. Methods: From a search of PubMed and the grey literature, potentially relevant measurement instruments were identified and examined for their content and psychometric properties, where possible. Criteria for inclusion were: based on the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF), used quantitative methods, suitable for population-based studies of disability inclusive development in English and published after 1990. Characteristics of existing instruments were analysed according to components of the ICF and quality of life domains. Results: Ten instruments were identified and reviewed according to the criteria listed above. Each version of instruments was analysed separately. Only three instruments included a component on quality of life. Domains from the ICF that were addressed by some but not all instruments included the environment, technology and communication. Conclusion: The measurement instruments reviewed covered the range of elements required to measure disability-inclusion within development contexts. However no single measurement instrument has the capacity to measure both disability prevalence and changes in quality of life according to contemporary disability paradigms. The review of measurement instruments supports the need for developing an instrument specifically intended to measure disability inclusive practice within development programs.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Surveys and tools are needed to plan disability inclusive development.

• Existing measurement tools to determine prevalence of disability, wellbeing, rights and access to the community were reviewed.

• No single validated tool exists for population-based studies, uses quantitative methods and the components of the ICF to measure prevalence of disability, well-being of people with disability and their access to their communities.

• A measurement tool that reflects the UNCRPD and addresses all components of the ICF is needed to assist in disability inclusive development, especially in low and mid resource countries.

     

Important aspects of participation and participation restrictions in people with a mild intellectual disability

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored a possibility to assess the concepts of participation and participation restrictions in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by combining self-ratings of the perceived importance with the actual performance of different everyday activities in people with a mild intellectual disability. Method: Structured interviews regarding 68 items from the ICF activity/participation domain were conducted (n?=?69). The items were ranked by perceived importance, performance and by combined measures. Furthermore, the measures were related to a single question about subjective general well-being. Results: Rankings of performance highlighted about the same items as “important participation”, while rankings of low performance addressed quite different items compared with “important participation restriction”. Significant correlations were found between subjective general well-being and high performance (r?=?0.56), high performance/high importance (important participation) (r?=?0.56), low performance (r?=?–0.56) and low performance/high importance (important participation restriction; r?=?–0.55). Conclusions: The results support the clinical relevance of the ICF and the studied selection of 68 items. Although performance only may sometimes be a relevant aspect, knowledge about the relationship between the perceived importance and the actual performance is essential for clinical interventions and for research aiming to understand specific needs regarding participation.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The concepts of participation and participation restriction are highly relevant in people with a mild intellectual disability.

• Self-rated performance might be sufficient to assess participation at a group level.

• In clinical practices, the relationship between the perceived importance and the actual performance of an activity is essential to assess.

     

The psychosocial impact of wheelchair tennis on participants from developing countries

Purpose: Individuals with physical disabilities in developing countries can experience many instances of psychosocial hardship. Although scholars have suggested that participation in sport can positively impact psychosocial health, few studies have explored this phenomenon within the disabled population of developing nations. Methods: Sixteen wheelchair tennis players were recruited across six developing countries and interviewed in regards to their experiences. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, transcribed verbatim and subject to thematic analysis. Results: Wheelchair tennis players perceived their participation in sport enhanced their psychosocial well-being. Three broad themes emerged from analysis of the interviews; (1) developed transferrable skills, (2) perceived personal growth and (3) benefits of an athletic identity. Conclusions: Sports participation, in this case wheelchair tennis, may be a viable means to promote psychosocial well-being in disabled populations within developing nations. Moreover, sport holds the potential to challenge negative perceptions of disability at an individual and societal level within these cultures.

• Implication for Rehabilitation

• Individuals with physical disabilities in developing countries may experience psychosocial hardship and cultural stigma.

• Wheelchair sport may be a viable means to enhance psychosocial well-being in this population.

• Skills learnt “on court” are transferrable to everyday life potentially improving independence and quality of life.

• Identifying as an athlete can challenge negative cultural perceptions of disability.

     

Web accessibility standards and disability: developing critical perspectives on accessibility

Abstract

Purpose: Currently, dominant web accessibility standards do not respect disability as a complex and culturally contingent interaction; recognizing that disability is a variable, contrary and political power relation, rather than a biological limit. Against this background there is clear scope to broaden the ways in which accessibility standards are understood, developed and applied. Methods: Commentary. Results: The values that shape and are shaped by legislation promote universal, statistical and automated approaches to web accessibility. This results in web accessibility standards conveying powerful norms fixing the relationship between technology and disability, irrespective of geographical, social, technological or cultural diversity. Conclusions: Web accessibility standards are designed to enact universal principles; however, they express partial and biopolitical understandings of the relation between disability and technology. These values can be limiting, and potentially counter-productive, for example, for the majority of disabled people in the “Global South” where different contexts constitute different disabilities and different experiences of web access. To create more robust, accessible outcomes for disabled people, research and standards practice should diversify to embrace more interactional accounts of disability in different settings.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Creating accessible experiences is an essential aspect of rehabilitation.

• Web standards promote universal accessibility as a property of an online resource or service. This undervalues the importance of the user’s intentions, expertize, their context, and the complex social and cultural nature of disability.

• Standardized, universal approaches to web accessibility may lead to counterproductive outcomes for disabled people whose impairments and circumstances do not meet Western disability and accessibility norms.

• Accessible experiences for rehabilitation can be enhanced through an additional focus on holistic approaches to accessibility blending digital and physical solutions, the use of BS 8878 and mixed-method approaches to accessibility benchmarking.

• Web standards and accessibility conformance should be considered together with user input and the recognition and development of local accessibility and rehabilitation expertize.

     

Clinical psychology and disability studies: bridging the disciplinary divide on mental health and disability

Abstract

Purpose: Clinical psychology and disability studies have traditionally occupied very different academic, philosophical and political spaces. However, this paper aims to illustrate the positive consequences and implications of attempts to understand and bridge this disciplinary divide. Method: A narrative review format was used with evidence selected pragmatically as opposed to systematically. The construction of the argument determined the evidence selected. Results: The concept of psycho-emotional disablism, which originated within disability studies, is argued to be a useful concept to bridge the divide between understandings of distress from both disability studies and clinical psychology perspectives. However, this can be usefully augmented by psychological research on the mechanisms through which disablism can affect individuals. Conclusion: Perspectives from both disability studies and clinical psychology can be usefully combined to bring important new perspectives; combined, these perspectives should help – on theoretical, service and social levels – to improve the mental health of disabled people.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Mental health is an important determinant of overall health-related quality of life and psychological therapy should be available for those disabled people who would value it.

• Psychological therapists working with disabled people should be more aware of the challenging social context in which disabled people live.

• Understandings of distress should not just include individual factors but also incorporate the psychological impact of stresses caused by societal barriers preventing inclusion.

• Psychologists should be more willing to work and engage at a societal and political level to influence change.

     

Community-based study of health-related quality of life in spinal cord injury,muscular dystrophy,multiple sclerosis,and cerebral palsy

Purpose: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI), muscular dystrophy (MD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: This is a multicenter, community-based, cross-sectional study of adults diagnosed with CP (94), MD (99), MS (98), SCI (99), and healthy adults (105). The WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-DIS questionnaire were used. Results: Significant differences in physical functioning between adults with CP and SCI and adults with MS (p?=?0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively), as well as between adults with SCI and MD (p?=?0.001) were found. Univariate tests revealed significant psychological functioning differences between adults with SCI and MD (p?=?0.02) and SCI and MS (p?=?0.001). There was a significant difference in physical functioning between controls and adults with SCI (p?=?0.049) and a significant difference in psychological functioning between controls and adults with MS (p?=?0.039). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in social and environmental domains. Conclusions: Physical and physiological functioning were affected to various degrees in the studied neurodisabilities, while all groups reported similar levels of functioning and well-being in social and environmental domains.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with neurodisabilities living in a community differs from HRQOL in these individuals sampled in clinical and/or rehabilitation settings.

• Psychosocial aspects of HRQOL relevant to physical disability were similarly affected across those groups.

• Physical and physiological domains in HRQOL were affected to various degrees among adults with neurodisabilities living in a community.

• Levels of functioning and well-being in social and environment domains of HRQOL are similar among adults with neurodisabilities living in a community.

• Community-based study of health-related quality of life in spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.

     

Cultural models of child disability: perspectives of parents in Malaysia

Abstract

Background: This study examined parents’ developmental concerns for their children within the context of systems of care in Malaysia.

Methods: Focus groups and interviews were conducted in peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.

Results: Parents’ perceptions of developmental delay stemmed from three sources: the cultural, resource, and the social environments.

Conclusion: There is a need to develop a medical support system in Malaysia that considers a life-course perspective, including prenatal care, screening/diagnosis, and services. This system should embrace a family-centered approach to diagnosis, referral, intervention, and support with sensitivity to cultural beliefs, family preferences, and barriers to care.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Parental perceptions of disability affect the strategies they use to cope.

• This research found that cultural conceptions of disability, available resources, and social support affect parental perceptions of disability.

• The resource environment in Malaysia significantly restricts parents’ ability to cope with their child's disability.

• This research recommended that the medical system of Malaysia develops a life-course perspective to disability to provide a range of care for children with disabilities including prenatal care, screening and rehabilitation or coping services.

     

Representations of disability in the Canadian news media: a decade of change?

Abstract

Purpose: To assess stability and change in representations of disability and persons with disability in the Canadian news media between 1998 and 2008. Method: The study replicated research conducted in 1998 that assessed the representation of disability in the Canadian news media. Following the earlier study, three newspapers were selected (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Toronto Sun) and all articles from a three-month period in 1998 and 2008 were assessed for disability content. In total, 362 articles were found in the two time periods. These were coded for structure and content using a schema developed in the earlier research. Results: Between 1998 and 2008, there was a significant increase in the proportion of stories using “person first” language, and a significant increase in the proportion of “progressively” themed articles (e.g. dealing with barriers to participation, or disability awareness and inclusion). At the same time, there were significant differences between newspapers, with the Toronto Sun (a tabloid) maintaining a strong focus on “traditional” themes (e.g. special education, charitable provision). Conclusions: The differences in news media representations between 1998 and 2008 suggest a positive change in the way people with disabilities are represented, with greater attention to the complexity of their identity and their multiple social roles.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The participation of persons with disabilities in society continues to be limited by negative attitudes.

• Media reporting has a significant influence on public attitudes toward disability.

• In a content analysis of three Canadian newspapers, this study found several significant changes in the language and content of disability-related articles.

• Together, these changes provide some evidence of more favorable media representations of disability. Further research in rehabilitation is needed to understand how such changes may both reflect and facilitate ongoing efforts to enhance people with disabilties’ participation in social life.

     

Community participation of persons with disabilities: volunteering,donations and involvement in groups and organisations

Purpose: This study examined similarities and differences between persons with and without disabilities on volunteering, donations and group participation. Method: A sample of 1548 individuals participated and 60% of the sample were persons with disabilities. Data for this research was drawn from a major statewide survey in a Midwestern state in the United States. Community participation was measured through involvement with civic, religious and other community-based groups, volunteering activities and donations. Logistic regression was pursued to test the effect of disability on community participation. Results: Findings support different trends in participation between persons with and without disabilities. Individuals without disabilities are more likely to volunteer, donate money and participate in civic organisations (e.g. clubs) and other groups. Employment and household income have a significant contribution in explaining these differences.

Conclusions: This study found significant differences in community participation between persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities. Regression analysis outcomes underscore the importance of employment and income in eliminating disparities in community involvement between persons with and without disabilities.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Policy change in rehabilitation agencies to fund supported volunteering services.

• Improve the representation of persons with disabilities in volunteering pursuits by making volunteering positions accessible to them (educate persons with disabilities to be more aware of these opportunities, provide reasonable accommodations at work sites, etc.).

• Educate stakeholders about the benefits of volunteering and being part of civic, and other community based groups in improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

• Identification of barriers for persons with disabilities in these pursuits (physical and attitudinal barriers, lack of resources).

• Identifying and utilising natural supports in the work site for persons with disabilities to receive peer support on the job from full-time employees.

     

A systematic review of disability awareness interventions for children and youth

Purpose: Children’s lack of knowledge about disability can adversely impact their attitudes toward people with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to review the common elements of effective disability awareness interventions. Methods: A systematic review of disability awareness interventions for children and youth was conducted to assess the effective components of these interventions. Electronic searches were conducted using OVID, CENTRAL, PsychInfo, ERIC, Social Science Citation Index, GreyNET Scopus and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria included (i) an intervention raising awareness about disability, (ii) school-age children with the average age between 5–19 years old, (iii) at least one measurable outcome focusing on knowledge about disability or attitudes towards and/or acceptance of people with a disability and (iv) published article or grey literature. Results: Of the 1031 articles that were identified in the search, 42 met the criteria to be included in the review. We classified the disability awareness interventions into 5 broad types including (i) social contact, (ii) simulation, (iii) curriculum, (iv) multi-media curriculum and (v) multiple components. Thirty-four studies showed an improvement in attitudes towards and/or acceptance of peers with disabilities. Eight of these studies also demonstrated an improvement in knowledge of people with disabilities. Five of the interventions found no support for improving knowledge about, or acceptance of people with disabilities. Conclusion: Disability awareness interventions can successfully improve children’s knowledge about and attitudes towards peers with a disability; they should include several different components over multiple sessions. Relevance: These findings are being used to further develop disability awareness interventions to help improve the social inclusion and participation of children with disabilities within mainstream classrooms.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Well-designed disability awareness interventions for children and youth can help improve knowledge about disability, attitudes towards people with a disability and acceptance of peers with a disability.

• Rehabilitation health care providers and educators should be trained to recognize when children with disabilities are being socially excluded and be prepared to provide or recommend appropriate resources and interventions on how to address this issue.

• Clinicians, educators and children with disabilities should all be involved in the development of disability awareness programs.

• Educators should carefully choose an appropriate intervention to meet the needs of the children in their class while considering age appropriateness and diversity of the students. It is also important for educators to be cognizant of the broader societal influences that impact attitudes towards disability.