Ana M. Ullán

Patterns and determinants of leisure participation of youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

BACKGROUND People with developmental disabilities are at high risk for a limited participation in leisure activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the participation in, preference for and interest in leisure activities of young and adults with developmental disabilities, and to examine the factors associated with leisure activity. METHODS A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 237 people aged 17 to 65, living in the community. Leisure participation was assessed with the Spanish version of Leisure Assessment Inventory. Percentages were calculated by types of activity, and repeated measures anovas were used to analyse the differences between types of activities, and mixed anovas to analyse the factors that explain differences in leisure activity participation, preference and interest. RESULTS Leisure social activities and recreation activities at home were mostly solitary and passive in nature and were identified as those being most commonly engaged in. Respondents expressed preference for more social and physical activity, and they were interested in trying out a large number of physical activities. Age and type of schooling determine participation in leisure activity. The results underscore the differences in leisure activity participation, preference and interest depending on the severity of the disability. CONCLUSIONS The findings reveal interesting patterns of participation in leisure activities from the viewpoint of youngsters and adults with developmental disabilities. Leisure participation among people with developmental disabilities is likely to be more affected by environmental factors than by personal factors.

Personal factors and perceived barriers to participation in leisure activities for young and adults with developmental disabilities

Participation in leisure activities has been identified as a factor that favors inclusion in the community and it also contributes to a better quality of life. This study analyzed the influence of certain personal characteristics and environmental factors in the participation in leisure activities of youngsters and adults with developmental disabilities. A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 237 people, aged 17-65, living in the community. The participants completed the Spanish version of the Leisure Assessment Inventory, and information about the personal and disability-related factors was obtained through a questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the personal factors, disability-related factors, and perceived barriers to leisure participation. The results show that participation in leisure activities is determined more by personal factors and perceived barriers than by disability-related factors.

Contributions of an artistic educational program for older people with early dementia: An exploratory qualitative study:

Objective: To describe a contemporary artistic educational program based on photographic cyanotype techniques and to present the results of the program carried out with older people with early dementia. We determined whether these people could participate in the program, their viewpoint about it, and what this program could contribute to their experience. Method: Twenty-one people diagnosed with mild or moderate dementia participated in a series of artistic education workshops. While conducting the workshops, participant observation was carried out, and the participants’ engagement was assessed. Upon completing the series, five focus groups were held with the participants with dementia, and another focus group with their professional caretakers. Results: We observed the participants’ high level of commitment to the activity and their interest in learning new things. We also observed the participants’ satisfaction during the creative process and with their results. The artistic activities not only reinforced the feelings of capacity of the participants with early dementia but also transmitted a positive image of them. Conclusions: Dementia was not an obstacle to participation in the program, which was an opportunity for creativity, learning, enjoyment, and communication for people with dementia. In the authors’ opinion, facilitating access to art and artistic education to people with early dementia can contribute to enforcing their rights and to improving the care system.

Relationships between Leisure Participation and Quality of Life of People with Developmental Disabilities

BACKGROUND Studies of people with developmental disabilities suggest that participation in leisure activities might be a key factor for good quality of life. This study explores the relationships between objective and subjective quality of life and leisure participation of adults with developmental disabilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 125 people, aged 17-65, living in the community. Participants completed the subjective scale of Integral Quality Scale and the Leisure Assessment Inventory in the form of an individual interview. Staff completed the GENCAT Scale. RESULTS No relationship was found between objective quality of life and leisure participation. However, correlations between some leisure participation dimensions and specific subjective quality of life domains were observed. The results establish a predictive relationship between leisure participation and material, emotional, and physical well-being. Personal and environmental variables analyzed were not found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between leisure participation and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that some aspects of leisure participation may significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of life of young people and adults with developmental disabilities living in the community.

The Effect of a Program to Promote Play to Reduce Children's Post-Surgical Pain: With Plush Toys, It Hurts Less

Various nonpharmacological strategies to relieve hospitalized childrens pain propose play as a central element. Play is considered an essential resource to improve the negative psychosocial effects of the disease and the hospitalization itself. However, the empirical research of play in health settings has not received much attention. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of a program to promote play in the hospital on postsurgical pain in pediatric patients. The research hypothesis was that children will manifest less pain if they are distracted through play during the postsurgical period. We carried out a randomized parallel trial with two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The control group did not receive any specific treatment, only the standard attention contemplated in the hospital. The parents of the children from the experimental group received instructions to play with their children in the postsurgical period and specific play material with which to play. The results obtained support the research hypothesis. On average, the children from the experimental group scored lower on a pain scale than the children from the control group. This occurred in the three postsurgical measurements of pain. It is concluded that the program to promote play can decrease childrens perception of pain.

Hospital Designs for Patients of Different Ages Preferences of Hospitalized Adolescents, Nonhospitalized Adolescents, Parents, and Clinical Staff

The design of hospitals should consider the needs and preferences of the patients, but the preferences of adolescents have received little attention. This investigation analyzed adolescents’ preferences for diverse hospital designs and compared them with those of the adults in charge of their care. Participants included were 345 adolescents—88 of them hospitalized—76 parents, and 46 health professionals. They all assessed three pairs of photographs of different hospital settings. Quantitative analyses were performed of the choices, and qualitative analyses of their justifications. The results indicated high agreement among the groups about which atmosphere was preferable for children and for adults, and also—with nuances—about the suitability of the nonchild-like atmosphere for adolescents. No important differences were found between hospitalized and nonhospitalized adolescents’ responses. The qualitative analyses revealed significant differences between the adolescents’ and adults’ response models in their ratings of the hospital setting design. The adolescents’ perspective seemed more sensitive than that of the adults toward symbolic aspects and the needs, experiences, and emotions of hospital users. The authors’ work reveals the need to consider the perspective of adolescents on hospital design, which cannot be substituted by that of their parents or of the clinical staff.

Art in a Spanish children’s hospital

This article aims to present and discuss a case study of humanization through art applied to a childrens hospital. Art is considered herein as a resource to improve hospital environments. The experience related to the improvement of these environments took place in the Childrens Emergency Unit of the University Hospital in Salamanca (Spain). After describing the context of the case study, some attention will be paid to the phases of the process, emphasizing the aspects linked to the care culture of children and their families, as well as the symbolic dimension of the space and the participation in the experience of diverse professionals. The case study is assessed from different standpoints, but special importance is given to parents’ opinions. Parents rated the service positively and stated that the artists’ intervention had been beneficial for the childrens emotional state.

Symbolic environmental mediators in health settings: the role of art in the humanization of children’s hospitals

In this article, a model to analyze children’s hospitalization contexts is proposed, based on the symbolic dimension of these health settings. The central concept of the model is one of symbolic environmental mediators, understood as environmental stimular signals associated with emotional experiences. Art is considered an environmental mediator in the settings of health care. From this perspective, various experiences of humanization through art in children’s health settings are commented on. The model was developed within the framework of a series of works about the degree of adaptation of pediatric hospitalization services to the psychosocial needs of the children and their families. The model allows a coherent description of real hospitalization settings and proposes dimensions to improve them.

Las paredes cuentan: arte para humanizar un espacio de salud pediátrico

El proposito de este trabajo es presentar una experiencia de humanizacion de un espacio salud a traves de recursos artisticos. La humanizacion de los espacios sanitarios representa un componente del concepto mas amplio de humanizacion en el ambito de la salud. Esta humanizacion ha de entenderse y las familias y de la forma que tienen los ninos de dar sentido al entorno que les rodea. El arte constituye una estrategia con potenciales implicaciones en la mejora y humanizacion de los entornos de cuidado de la salud. Siguiendo una metodologia de estudio de caso, en este articulo se describe una experiencia de humanizacion a traves de intervenciones artisticas en un espacio sanitario para ninos. Se presenta el contexto de la experiencia y se detallan las fases de la misma. Se incluyen los elementos basicos con una discusion sobre la calidad percibida del entorno fisico en el que se prestan los cuidados de la salud.

Teaching Students About Facial Composites Using the FACES Software

An active learning exercise was carried out in an eyewitness psychology course in which students first built up a facial composite of a famous person using the FACES software. Then, the students had to name the person depicted in each composite. The results of this exercise were then described by the instructor during a theoretical lecture about facial composites. The students experienced for themselves how difficult it is to build and identify facial composites of familiar faces. Pre-post analyses showed that the exercise was effective in changing students’ initially optimistic beliefs about the utility of facial composites.