Novel approaches to measuring community integration in adults with cerebral palsy
Author(s)
Chan, Dara V
Thorpe, Deborah E
Trost, Stewart G
Boyd, Roslyn N
Faldowski, Richard A
Barber, Lee
Levin, Ilana
Carroll, Amanda
Bagatell, Nancy
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2019
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Purpose: Rehabilitation goals often focus on increasing community integration for adults with disabilities and are measured by objective assessments. Research methods have lagged behind in capturing current conceptualizations of community integration as a multidimensional construct that incorporates participation, social supports, and feelings of belonging in the community. This paper addresses this challenge by describing a multi-method approach to assessing community integration for adults with cerebral palsy.
Methods: Measures include standardized questionnaires, qualitative methods, measures of function and physical ...
View more >Purpose: Rehabilitation goals often focus on increasing community integration for adults with disabilities and are measured by objective assessments. Research methods have lagged behind in capturing current conceptualizations of community integration as a multidimensional construct that incorporates participation, social supports, and feelings of belonging in the community. This paper addresses this challenge by describing a multi-method approach to assessing community integration for adults with cerebral palsy. Methods: Measures include standardized questionnaires, qualitative methods, measures of function and physical activity, and geospatial measures using Geographic Information System mapping and Global Positioning System tracking. These objective and subjective data are used to determine where adults spend time and are most active, and which activities and social connections are associated with feeling integrated into the community. Results: Two case examples highlight the importance of using a multi-method approach to assess community integration for adults with cerebral palsy. Results of objective clinical measures were comparable among case examples; however, actual experiences of feeling connected to the community were vastly different. Conclusions: Multiple measures are required to capture the complexity of community integration. Relying solely on objective measures may not provide a complete picture of community integration.
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View more >Purpose: Rehabilitation goals often focus on increasing community integration for adults with disabilities and are measured by objective assessments. Research methods have lagged behind in capturing current conceptualizations of community integration as a multidimensional construct that incorporates participation, social supports, and feelings of belonging in the community. This paper addresses this challenge by describing a multi-method approach to assessing community integration for adults with cerebral palsy. Methods: Measures include standardized questionnaires, qualitative methods, measures of function and physical activity, and geospatial measures using Geographic Information System mapping and Global Positioning System tracking. These objective and subjective data are used to determine where adults spend time and are most active, and which activities and social connections are associated with feeling integrated into the community. Results: Two case examples highlight the importance of using a multi-method approach to assess community integration for adults with cerebral palsy. Results of objective clinical measures were comparable among case examples; however, actual experiences of feeling connected to the community were vastly different. Conclusions: Multiple measures are required to capture the complexity of community integration. Relying solely on objective measures may not provide a complete picture of community integration.
View less >
Journal Title
Disability and Rehabilitation
Note
This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Clinical sciences
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Rehabilitation
Community integration
adults