Search

Objective: In the present study we aim to assess the reliability and validity of the 20item version of the Dutch Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC). Design: The reliability, concurrent validity, predictive validity and construct validity of the Dutch MPOC-20 were determined. A subset of MPOC-20 data was extracted from a large Dutch MPOC (56-item version) database. Subjects: Participants were 405 mothers and 22 fathers of children aged 1–18 years recruited through nine paediatric rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands. Main measures: The participants filled out the MPOC-20 items, the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), and two additional questions about satisfaction with services and the amount of stress they experienced. Results: The internal consistency analyses (alphas 0.75–0.87) and the test–retest analyses (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) 0.78–0.91) showed that the Dutch MPOC-20 is a reliable tool. The concurrent validity of the Dutch MPOC-20 was confirmed by positive correlations between MPOC-20 scale scores and the CSQ (r 0.39–0.69), and between MPOC-20 scale scores and an overall satisfaction variable (r 0.37–0.66). The predictive validity of the Dutch MPOC-20 was supported by moderately negative correlations between MPOC-20 scores and a stress variable (r -0.27 to -0.44). The construct validity of the Dutch MPOC-20 was confirmed by significant scale intercorrelations (r 0.41–0.84) and a factor analysis. Conclusions: The 20-item version of the MPOC (Dutch MPOC-20) is a reliable and valid measure of the family-centredness of paediatric rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of aquatic interventions in children with neuromotor impairments. Design: A search of electronic databases that included MEDLINE, PubMed, ERIC, PsychLit, PEDro, Sport Discus, CINAHL and Cochrane between 1966 and January 2005 was conducted using the following keywords: 'hydrotherapy', 'aquatic therapy', 'water exercise', 'aquatics', 'adapted aquatics', 'aquatic exercise' and 'swimming'. An additional resource, the Aquatic Therapy Research Bibliography until 1999, was explored manually. Titles and abstracts were assessed manually according to the following inclusion criteria: (1) population (children with neuromotor or neuromuscular impairments), (2) intervention (aquatic programme). Articles were reviewed according to merit of design, population participants and outcome measures with respect to International Classification of Function and Disability terminology (changes in body function, activity level and participation). Results: Eleven of the 173 articles that were retrieved met the inclusion criteria: one randomized control trial, two quasi-experimental studies, one cohort study, two case control studies and five case reports. Seven articles reported improvement in body functions, and seven articles reported improvement in activity level. Two of the four articles that investigated outcome measures regarding participation described positive effects while the findings of the other two revealed no change. None of the articles reported negative effects due to aquatic interventions. Conclusion: According to this review, there is a substantial lack of evidence-based research evaluating the specific effects of aquatic interventions in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To validate the Dutch translation of the Canadian Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers questionnaire (MPOC-SP) for use in paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands. Design: The construct validity, content validity, face validity, and reliability of the Dutch MPOC-SP were determined. Subjects: The 163 service providers that participated in the validation study represented seven children's rehabilitation centres and affiliated schools in the Netherlands (overall response rate 55.6%). In this sample 19 disciplines were represented. Main measures: The MPOC-SP consists of 27 items (assessing four domains) and was designed to examine how service providers think about the quality of care they provide and to assess the extent to which these services are family centred. Fifty-three service providers filled out an additional face validity questionnaire. Results: All items correlated best and significantly with their own scale score (rs 0.48–0.82, P < 0.001). The Pearson's correlation coefficients were all significant and confirmed that the four scales measure different aspects of a same construct, namely family-centred service. The content validity and the face validity of the Dutch MPOC-SP were good, indicating the questionnaire measures relevant aspects of family-centred service delivery in paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands. The test–retest analyses (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.83–0.89) and the internal consistency analyses (alpha 0.65–0.84) showed that the Dutch MPOC-SP is a reliable tool. Conclusions: The Dutch MPOC-SP is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the family-centredness of service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of the Dutch version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), an instrument for measuring functional status (capability and performance in self-care, mobility and social function) of young children using parent interviews. Design: Inter-interviewer reliability was studied after scoring audiotaped interviews by a second researcher. For test–retest reliability the same parent was interviewed twice within three weeks; in inter-respondent reliability both parents of a child were interviewed independently within a few days. On item level, percentage identical scores were computed, and on scale level intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cronbach's alphas were calculated. Subjects: Parents of 63 nondisabled and 53 disabled (various diagnosis) children aged between 7 and 88 months were interviewed. Results: On scale level, all ICCs were above 0.90 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.89 for the self-care domain, 0.74 for the mobility domain and 0.87 for the social function domain. On item level for the Functional Skills Scale, the mean percentage identical scores varied from 89 to 99, and for the Caregiver Assistance Scale from 54 to 90. Different scores between interviewers resulted partially from ambiguous interpretation of the item and/or the explanation. Conclusions: Although small adaptations have to be made, the psychometric properties of the Dutch PEDI are found to be good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of task context on the quality of reaching movements in children with spastic hemiparesis. Design: Randomized controlled experimental trial. Setting: Institute for the Study of Education and Human Development (ISED). Subjects: Twelve children (8-14 years of age) with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Interventions: Subjects made fast reaching movements with the affected or nonaffected arm on a digitizer in three context conditions: (a) reach to press a light switch to turn on a red light (functional), (b) reach to press the light switch; no light (semi-functional), and (c) reach to a marker (nonfunctional). Main outcome measures: Kinematics of reaching movements of affected and nonaffected arms: movement time (MT), peak velocity (PV), time to PV, percentage of MT where peak velocity occurred (PPV), and smoothness (i.e. number of movement units (MU)). Results: The functional condition elicited better quality of reaching for the nonaffected, but particularly the affected arm. Reaching of the affected arm was faster (larger MT; F = 10.21, p < 0.01), smoother (fewer MU; F = 19.95, p < 0.001), and better-controlled (right shift of PPV; F = 16.03, p < 0.001) compared with the semi- and nonfunctional condition. Reaching of the nonaffected arm was also faster (longer MT, F = 4.81, p < 0.05), and more smooth (fewer MU, F = 7.23, p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that providing a functional context to perform a task may enhance the quality of reaching movements of the affected arm in children with spastic hemiparesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which examines the significance of parental participation in intervention programs for children with physical disabilities. Methodology; Assessment of parental intervention in programs for children with cerebral palsy; Results.