Impact of culture on children's community participation in Israel.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the participation in activities outside of formal school among Jewish and Druze Israeli children. It also examined the impact of gender and the interaction of culture and gender on participation.


METHODS
Participants included 30 Jewish and 30 Druze children ages 8-10 years, who completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE).


RESULTS
On most of the scales measured, the Jewish children showed a significantly higher participation level than the Druze children, and the Druze children performed more activities alone. The Jewish children demonstrated a higher enjoyment level than the Druze children on half of the scales. Some scales revealed higher participation by girls than by boys as well as a significant cultural group by gender interaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Culture may have an impact on children's level of participation in the community. The CAPE was found to be a sensitive tool in elucidating differences between the Druze and Jewish children in community participation.
Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31905 Israel. batya@research.haifa.ac.il
Batya
B
Engel-Yeger
Tal
T
Jarus
Mary
M
Law
D018912:Arabs; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D012737:Sex Factors