Helen Lynch

Patterns of activity of Irish children aged five to eight years: City living in Ireland today

The study of childrens occupation is receiving more attention in the occupational science literature. This trend corresponds with a global interest on child health and well‐being. Research into the activity patterns of children in natural environments offers to advance knowledge about childrens participation, health and occupational development. This study was conducted using time‐use methods to explore and identify activities and environments of Irish children aged between 5 and 8 years in 2007. Findings support the need for environmental contexts to be taken into account when considering occupational development. Further study of time‐use methods is warranted for use in examining the children‐environment–occupation relationship.

Accessibility and usability of playground environments for children under 12: A scoping review

Abstract Background: Playgrounds are important outdoor environments in many communities during childhood. However, playground spaces often do not meet the needs of typically developing children or children with disabilities, resulting in social exclusion for many children. Aims/objectives: This study explored the evidence regarding accessibility and usability of playgrounds for children of all abilities, to identify factors that enable or constrain social inclusion in community playgrounds. Materials and methods: A scoping method was used as little research in this area has been collated and synthesized. Scoping reviews are effective for exploring and synthesizing broad and varied methods of inquiry around a phenomenon of interest. Results: A total of 14 key articles were identified and two major themes emerged: (i) accessible playground environments – features and factors; (ii) from excluding to including – making playground environments usable. Findings indicate that numerous environmental barriers contribute to making playground environments inaccessible and unusable for many children, particularly children with disabilities. However, playground design is identified as a significant factor in enabling inclusion. Conclusion: Occupational therapists are in an ideal position to advocate for children’s occupational right to play, by combining knowledge of environmental barriers with an understanding of disability and specific knowledge of occupation. Through focusing on advocacy and change at policy and community levels, therapists can work to maximize social inclusion in playground settings.

Exploring the Role of Touch in the First Year of Life: Mothers' Perspectives of Tactile Interactions with Their Infants

Introduction: Touch is a basic instinctual interaction between a parent and his or her infant and has a vital role in the infants early development. Parents provide a variety of tactile stimulation while addressing their infants daily care routines. This paper reports on research findings, exploring the nature of this tactile interaction and how it is influenced by personal and contextual factors. Method: A qualitative study, employing a phenomenological approach, was conducted to explore the experiential nature of tactile interaction. Data were collected from six mothers of typically developing infants through single semi-structured interviews, and analysed thematically. Credibility and trustworthiness were addressed throughout the research process through peer checking, an audit trail and the completion of a reflexive diary. Findings: The mothers described the importance of tactile interaction as a medium through which to bond with their infant and also discussed the influence that the infants development has on this dyadic relationship. Personal and contextual factors were identified as affecting engagement in tactile interaction. Conclusion: Based on these findings, recommendations are made for occupational therapists who work with infants. The consideration of personal and contextual factors that influence mother-infant tactile interaction will contribute to a family-centred approach to therapy and support the achievement of best practice in this area.

Play as an occupation in occupational therapy

Play is recognised in occupational therapy as a central domain of childhood and an essential focus in working with children with disabilities and their families. Although there are different definitions of play and no consensus on naming different play forms, the evidence of its importance for health, development and well-being is consistently documented (Lester and Russell, 2010). Particularly from birth to eight years, play is known to be the window into the child’s development. So it is not surprising that occupational therapists use play primarily as a means to achieving other developmental goals. However, this results in play being typically overlooked as an aim of intervention – so are we in reality ignoring play as a central occupation in the child’s world? To explore this question, we need to define play occupation: or ‘play . . . undertaken for its own sake’ (United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2013). Play is a subjective experience of joy and fun, that comes from engaging in freely chosen, intrinsically motivated, selfdirected meaningful occupations; play transactions take place between the child and the environment (including the virtual); play is about the process of engagement rather than the product. Engagement may be low intensity and can involve daydreaming or watching others play. Equally, it may be high intensity; for example, roughand-tumble play. Core attributes of participation are evident in play occupation: to take part, to feel included, to have choice over what to take part in and to achieve a meaningful goal (Hoogsteen and Woodgate, 2010). However, participation can be amended to include ‘taking part’ through being an observer of the play event, and achieving a goal as about process rather than the product of the play event. Play occupation is the driver of learning in early childhood; hence in educational settings (for example, preschool), learning is typically play based. This means that the child leads while the adult scaffolds play. However, by middle childhood play occupation is less central and learning now takes the form of structured education: play evolves into leisure pursuits that take place in residual time (Sellar and Stanley, 2010). And while leisure is also experienced as fun and intrinsically motivated, it is less central to learning. So by this definition, play is different to leisure, yet they are often used interchangeably in occupational therapy. Perhaps this explains a lack of focus on play occupation: it is viewed as an occupation done in residual time. Play as a primary occupation should imply that priority is given to enabling play: that is, not simply to teach play skills or practise play activities in therapy clinics, but to design context-focused interventions that focus on play, playfulness and participation. Occupational therapy researchers

A shift from offline to online: Adolescence, the internet and social participation

ABSTRACT Adolescents’ social participation is increasingly taking place in virtual settings, including social media, but there is no longer a distinct boundary between online and offline social participation. Furthermore, online social participation is becoming a societal concern, with internet use identified as impacting social and emotional well-being. This qualitative descriptive study explored the occupational nature of online social participation amongst Irish adolescents aged 9-16 years old. Data were collected through three focus groups. Four themes that captured the nature of the Internet as a setting for social participation were identified: a) building relationships and connections, b) identity experimentation and construction, c) cyber culture and virtual norms, and d) overuse and unsociable behaviour. The study provides insights into how adolescents experience and organise their social occupations in online settings and how these unfold into offline ‘reality’. While online social participation expands social experiences and connections, face-to-face experiences were more valued. There is an imperative to research online-offline social participation to develop a broader understanding of this evolving, contemporary occupation.

Perspectives Regarding Occupational Therapy Practice with Children and Families

This article gives a brief description of Irelands demographics and its national health service, the Health Services Executive (HSE). It highlights how economic and social changes within the country and the development of the HSE affected pediatric occupational therapy service provision. It gives an overview of the settings in which pediatric occupational therapists work, which include community health services, non-governmental agencies, acute hospitals, and schools. The role of special interest groups in developing policies and services is described. Pediatric occupational therapy practice is discussed, referencing some advantages and challenges that are faced by therapists in their striving for client-centeredness and occupation-focused services provision. The most used assessments are listed and the most dominant frames of reference discussed. It concludes by highlighting continuing professional education in pediatric occupational therapy and research activity, which is increasing in Ireland.

Understanding a child’s conceptualisation of well-being through an exploration of happiness: The centrality of play, people and place

ABSTRACT Given that participation in occupation is a significant predictor of well-being, it seems plausible to argue that participation in play is imperative for child well-being, since play is a fundamental occupation in early childhood in most cultures across the world. However, play is neither included as an indicator nor as a domain in the national set of child well-being indicators in Ireland. In addition, few studies have asked children what they view as important for their own well-being. This qualitative ethnographic study explored children’s conceptualisations of happiness (as a proxy measure of well-being) amongst children living in Ireland aged 6 to 8 years. The study employed a mosaic approach and data were collected through visual, spatial, and language-based methods. Analysis resulted in three core themes with eight subthemes. The first theme describes how the children perceived their participation in pleasurable occupations as vital contributors to their overall sense of happiness (well-being), which typically involved play. The second theme describes the social and physical influences that shape participation in their valued play occupations. The third theme describes the social nature of relationships with people and animals. Children’s conceptualisation of well-being consistently related to play and playful occupation, with or without social partners. Findings illustrate the degree and complexity with which children understand the influences on their happiness (well-being) to be interrelated, highlighting an expanded view of play as a subjective aspect of childhood that is intrinsically connected to well-being and happiness. They also point to appropriate issues that should be addressed, both at a National data monitoring and policy level.

Mainstream robotic toys and children with physical impairment: what about playfulness?

Although play is recognized as the main drive for the childs physical, cognitive and social development, it is first of all a unique source of pleasure, fun and recreation. Playfulness, the individual intrinsic involvement in play has been described as a measurable characteristic of these aspects of play. Play and playfulness can be limited in children with physical impairment (PI) and robotic toys might offer good options and opportunities for playing. Five robotic toys of the mainstream market were proposed to seven children with PI to verify their playfulness and their usability. Playfulness was coded according to the Test of Playfulness (Bundy & Skard, 1997). Results show that all the robots were playful and interesting to the children; however, the role of the adult expert play companion proved crucial both as assistive agent and as a scaffolding partner, to assure a high level of playfulness to the play activity. A first discussion proposal of the results on the basis of the playfulness construct and of their constituent elements is presented, with the aim of laying the foundations for new reflections and deepening studies in the field of play and children with disabilities.

Exploring socio-cultural influences on infant play occupations in Irish home environments

ABSTRACT Home learning environments have been the focus of concern in recent years, due to evidence of the impact of the home environment on early development. To date, few studies in occupational science have researched infant play development in the home. This study aimed to explore sociocultural influences on infant occupational development through the lens of play events that occurred in home settings of five families from urban and rural settings in Ireland. A qualitative ethnographic approach was employed over a 12 month period to gather data on play processes of two new-borns and three 1-year olds and their families. Data were generated monthly through observations of the infants engaging in play in their natural environments and interviews with the primary carer. Grounded theory methods were employed to analyse and interpret infant-environment transactions during play events in daily routines. The bio-ecological model of human development was adopted as a way of operationalising the transactional approach (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2007). Taking one element of a larger study, this paper presents findings on the sociocultural environment as it influences play events in the home setting. The study identifies that infant play can be viewed as a multidimensional phenomenon which is shaped by sociocultural factors from macrosystem to microsystem levels. Findings identified that play occupations were influenced by different forms of parental reasoning: personal, knowledge-based, future-based, practical-based, sociocultural and narrative. These findings provide a preliminary understanding of socio-cultural transactional processes that influence the development of infants’ play occupations.

The state of play in children's occupational therapy : a comparison between Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland

Introduction Play is viewed as an important occupation in childhood and consequently in childrens occupational therapy. However, few studies have explored the place of play in therapy practice. This study aimed to contribute to this knowledge gap by exploring play in occupational therapy in three European countries. Method A cross-sectional survey of occupational therapists in Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland was conducted to examine the use of play with children under 12 years old. A web-based survey was distributed to 935 occupational therapists, resulting in 338 returned surveys (36%). Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Results Results were organised into three themes: (1) demographics and practice context; (2) play education and (3) use of play in practice. Respondents reported that although they valued play as an occupation, their primary focus was on play as a means to achieving other goals. Lack of education on play (research, theory and interventions) and pressures in the workplace were identified as barriers to play-centred practice. Conclusion Findings indicate that there is a mismatch between therapists valuing play as an occupation and how play is utilised in therapy practice. There is a need to strengthen education and research on play occupation to strengthen play-centred practice.