Perceived environmental barriers to recreational, community, and school participation for children and youth with physical disabilities.
OBJECTIVE
To comprehensively describe parent perceptions of environmental barriers to recreational, community, and school participation for children with physical disabilities.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data gathered in the first wave of a longitudinal study of the child, family, and environmental factors affecting the recreational and leisure participation of school-age children with physical disabilities.


METHODS
General community.


METHODS
Parent-child pairs (N=427). Child participants included 229 boys and 198 girls with physical disabilities in 3 age cohorts (6-8, 9-11, 12-14 y).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors.


RESULTS
Barriers to participation were encountered in school and work environments (1.54+/-1.88), physical and built environments (1.36+/-1.35), within institutional and government policies (1.24+/-1.71), services and assistance (1.02+/-1.2), and attitudes and social support (.87+/-1.17). Age, socioeconomic status, level of physical functioning, and behavioral difficulties were related to the impact of barriers reported in certain areas. No significant differences by the sex of the children or rural versus urban community were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents report environmental barriers in several areas, providing valuable information about the environmental factors that support or hinder participation while showing the complexity of these issues. Future research is required to further identify potential avenues for intervention.
CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. lawm@mcmaster.ca
Mary
M
Law
Theresa
T
Petrenchik
Gillian
G
King
Patricia
P
Hurley
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004779:Environment Design; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011998:Recreation; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires