Exploring environmental restrictions on everyday life participation of children with developmental disability

ABSTRACT

Background Environments are important to children’s participation, but little is known about which environmental factors restrict their participation, particularly in children with moderate to severe developmental disability.

Method Parents of 64 children attending special schools completed the Environmental Restriction Questionnaire (ERQ). Two researchers classified the item contents of the ERQ using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Children and Youth (ICF-CY) to provide uniform interpretation.

Results At home, the environmental restrictions related to Products and technology within the ICF-CY. The environmental restrictions in the community involved 3 areas: Products and technology, Support and relationships, and Services, systems, and policies. The environmental restrictions on children’s educational participation originated from Support and relationships and Attitudes of the parents.

Conclusions The findings offer insights into the critical environmental restrictions on the participation of children with developmental disability. Resources and support that target modifiable environmental factors may help to promote children’s participation.

KEYWORDS:

• environmental restrictions
• participation
• children
• ICF-CY
• linking rules

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the permission granted by Dr Rosenberg for the use of her tool in this study. We also thank all of the participating children, parents, and special schools.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The University of Queensland Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (for the first author) and Summer Research Scholarship (for the second author). The funding body has not imposed any restrictions on free access to or publication of the research data.