Feasibility of an intervention to facilitate time and everyday functioning in preschoolers

Abstract

Background

Children in need of special support (INS) often display delays in time-processing ability (TPA) affecting everyday functioning. Typically developing (TD) children are not yet mature to use the information of a clock.

Aim

To investigate the feasibility of an intervention program, MyTime, to facilitate TPA and everyday functioning in pre-school children, including the subjective experiences of pre-school staff and the children.

Materials and Methods

The intervention sample consisted of 20 children: 4 INS and 16 TD. Intervention was given daily in 8 weeks with MyTime in the pre-school environment. Data collection procedures were evaluated and children were assessed for TPA pre- and post intervention. Everyday functioning were assessed by teachers, parents and children. Experiences of the intervention were assessed by a group interview with teachers and a Talking Mats© evaluation with children.

Results

MyTime worked well in pre-school and indicated an increase in the children’s TPA and everyday functioning. The program was perceived simple to use by teachers and children highlighted the importance to understand the duration of time.

Conclusion

The program MyTime was found to be feasible in the pre-school environment. Significance: The assessment and program design can be used to investigate intervention effectiveness in a randomised study.

Keywords:

• Occupational therapy
• early intervention
• pre-school children
• child
• time processing ability
• time perception

Acknowledgement

The authors express our gratitude to participating children, preschool teachers and parents. The authors are also grateful to Abilia for proving the time assistive devices. Thanks to the psychologist Brita Warne for administration of ABAS and Dr. Julie Hansen for translating citations to colloquial English.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by, The Habilitation Services in Region of Dalarna [no grant number], Norrbacka-Eugeniastiftelsen [Grant 869/14], The Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists [no grant number], Stiftelsen Promobilia [Grant 15051], Center for Clinical Research, Dalarna [Grant CKFUU-510891].