“Make it fun”: a qualitative study exploring key aspects of power mobility interventions for children

Abstract

Purpose

Research suggests there are three groups of paediatric power mobility learners: exploratory, operational and functional. The purpose of this modified grounded theory study was to explore the key aspects of power mobility interventions for children in each of these paediatric power mobility learner groups.

Materials and methods

Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews conducted in-person or via Zoom^®. Three stakeholder groups were interviewed: (1) children ages 8–18 years who used a power wheelchair (PWC); (2) parents whose children (≤18 years of age) used a PWC; and (3) therapists/therapist researchers experienced in paediatric power mobility. An interview guide was created for each stakeholder group. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and an initial coding scheme was used to identify intervention activities specific to each learner group. Data for each learner group were then coded to reflect the essence of each intervention activity. Finally, patterns within the data were identified and codes were collapsed into thematic categories reflecting the key aspects of intervention for each learner group.

Results

A total of 29 participants (nine children, seven parents and 13 therapists) took part in the study. Key aspects of power mobility interventions for each learner group, as well as fundamental aspects of power mobility intervention applicable to all learner groups, emerged in the data.

Conclusions

This study highlights both the similarities (fundamental aspects) and differences (key aspects targeting the specific needs of each learner group) of power mobility interventions for children in each of the three power mobility learner groups.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• There are both similarities (fundamental aspects) and differences (key aspects targeting the specific needs of each learner group) in the needs of children in each of the three power mobility learner groups.

• Key aspects of power mobility interventions vary for children in each of the three paediatric power mobility learner groups and correspond with the learning needs of each power mobility learner group.

• The findings of this study will help clinicians and researchers to tailor power mobility interventions to meet the unique needs of children in each power mobility learner group.

Keywords:

• Power mobility
• power mobility interventions
• paediatrics
• power wheelchair

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).