Catarina Grande

The role of environment in explaining frequency of participation of pre-school children in home and community activities

Objectives: The main goal of the present study was to promote an understanding of the role of environment in explaining frequency of participation of pre-school children in home and community activities. Method: Parents of 116 children from completed an adapted version of the Young Children’s Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM). Pre-school teachers assessed child functioning. Results: Maternal education was significantly related to the child’s frequency of participation in home and community activities. Child functioning had an indirect effect on frequency of participation in home activities through perceived environmental barriers by parents. In the community setting, child functioning was a predictor of the parents’ perception of environmental barriers and there was no evidence of a mediating effect of perceived environmental barriers. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of modifying specific environmental factors to promote child participation and functioning.

Estilos interactivos de educadoras do Ensino Especial em contexto de educação-de-infância

RESUMO - Este estudo pretendeu caracterizar os estilos interactivos das educadoras do Ensino Especial ao se relacionarem com criancas com Necessidades Educativas Especiais (NEE) integradas em creches/jardins-de-infância do Porto. Participaram 50 educadoras e 50 criancas. Os comportamentos interactivos foram avaliados utilizando a Escala de Avaliacao dos Estilos de Ensino. O envolvimento das criancas foi codificado por meio do EQUAL-III. A analise de clusters identificou dois sub-grupos: (i) educadoras que utilizam mais frequentemente comportamentos directivos; (ii) educadoras nas quais predominam comportamentos elaborativos e responsivos. Os subgrupos distinguiram-se em caracteristicas de qualidade estrutural da sala, da educadora e do envolvimento da crianca. As criancas com NEE parecem se beneficiar de interaccoes baixas em directividade. Interaccoes elaborativas-responsivas tendem a promover niveis mais sofisticados de envolvimento, pelo que sao recomendadas. Palavras-chave: interacoes educador-crianca; necessidades educativas especiais; creche/jardim-de-infância; intervencao precoce. ABSTRACT - This study intended to characterize special education teachers’ interactive styles while interacting with children with disabilities, in day care/preschool contexts in Porto. Fifty special education teachers and 50 children with disabilities participated in the study. Interactive behaviours were rated based on the Teaching Styles Rating Scale. Child engagement was coded by means of the E-QUAL III. Using cluster analysis, two subgroups of teachers were identified: (i) teachers using more frequently directive behaviours; (ii) teachers with predominance of elaborative and responsive behaviours. Subgroups differences were found for classroom structural quality, teachers’ characteristics and children’s observed engagement. Children with disabilities seem to benefit from low directive interactions. Elaborative-responsive teacher’s interactions tend to promote more sophisticated levels of children’s engagement, and are thus recommended. Keywords: teacher-child interactions; special education needs; day care/child care centers; early childhood intervention.

Linking the early development instrument with the ICF-CY

Objective: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) provides a universal taxonomy to describe functioning. One of the most relevant applications of the ICF has been the development of code-sets for particular contexts/situations, such specific age groups. An important step in research around child assessment and intervention is to identify extant measures that can assess the essential functioning features for each age range. This study aims to map the Early Development Instrument (EDI) with the ICF-CY and to identify the functioning dimensions regarded by experts as essential in the age range 3–5 that are covered by this instrument. Method: A systematic deductive content analysis procedure was used in the mapping process. Results: Most of EDI items were mapped to Activities and Participation and the majority of Activities and Participation regarded as essential from 3 to 5 years are assessed by the EDI; only some essential Environmental Factors and Body Functions are covered. Conclusion: The mapping process between the EDI and the ICF has shown that the EDI should be complemented with other measures with a focus on Body Functions and Environmental Factors, in order to facilitate a holistic description of the child.

Differences between Pre-School Children with and without Special Educational Needs Functioning, Participation, and Environmental Barriers at Home and in Community Settings: An International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health for Children and Youth Approach

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY; WHO, 2007) provides a framework for child functioning with an emphasis on child participation. Participation is defined as “involvement in life situations” and can be influenced by both child characteristics (health conditions, body functions and structures) and by contextual factors (facilitators or barriers of the physical or social environment) (WHO, 2007). This study aimed at characterizing functioning of pre-school aged children, based on their frequency of participation in home and community activities and on the perception of environmental barriers to their participation by parents, using an ICF-CY approach. Differences between children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) (n = 42) and children without SEN (n = 74) were analyzed. Parents of 116 children from Porto District (Portugal) completed an adapted version of the Young Childrens Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM; Khetani et al., 2013a). To assess child functioning, pre-school teachers completed 6 items of the Matrix for Assessment of Activities and Participation (MAAP; Castro & Pinto, 2015), corresponding to 6 code sets of the ICF-CY Developmental Code Sets (Ellingsen & Simmeonsson, 2011). Children with SEN showed lower levels of functioning when compared to children without SEN, according to their pre-school teachers. Parents of children with SEN reported that their children participated less frequently in home activities. Specifically, significant differences were found in household chores, at home. Parents of children with SEN perceived more environmental factors as barriers in both settings when compared to parents of children without SEN. Differences between groups in specific environmental factors are presented with reference to the YC-PEM environmental content linked to the ICF-CY environmental domains (Khetani, 2015). Findings highlight the importance of identifying and adjusting environmental barriers, through family centered practices, to promote child participation and overall functioning. The adoption of the ICF-CY (WHO, 2007) is recommended when implementing and monitoring inclusive services and practices. Results are further analyzed and discussed with reference to the biopsychosocial model of the ICF-CY (WHO, 2007)

Beyond diagnosis: the relevance of social interactions for participation in inclusive preschool settings

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of three specific factors within the child–environment interaction process – engagement, independence and social interactions – in influencing development and learning of children with disabilities in inclusive preschool settings. The main question is whether children can be categorised in homogenous groups based on engagement, independence and social interactions (proximal variables within a biopsychosocial framework of human development). The study also examined whether children with the same diagnosis would group together or separately, when trying to identify clusters of engagement, independence and social interactions, and additionally whether such clusters vary as a function of individual child characteristics, and/or as a function of structural and process characteristics of preschool environment. Methods: Data was taken from an intervention study conducted in mainstream preschools in Portugal. A person-centered cluster analysis was conducted to explore group membership of children with various diagnoses, based on their engagement, independence and social interaction profiles. Results: Results show that children clustered based on similarity of engagement, independence and social interaction patterns, rather than on diagnosis. Besides, it was found that quality of peer interaction was the only predictor of cluster membership. Conclusion: These findings support the argument that participation profiles may be more informative for intervention purposes than diagnostic categories, and that preschool process quality, namely peer interaction, is crucial for children’s participation.