title: The extent, context and experience of participation in out-of-school activities among children with disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A growing literature describes the participation of children with disability, but less is known about the effect of disability type, severity and environmental factors on participation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the extent, context, experience and preferences for participation in out-of-school activities among children with disability in Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred and eighty-six children (177 boys, 109 girls; mean age 11.5 years) with physical (n=77), intellectual (n=67), multiple (n=93), and other disabilities (n=49) took part. Data were collected using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and Preferences for Activities of Children (PAC) questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with disability participated in 28 out of 55 activities (SD 6 activities), 2-3 times per month, on average. Preference was the most important predictor of participation diversity for all activity types. Disability type was a predictor of participation diversity in active-physical activities only. Severity was a predictor of participation diversity overall, and of participation in formal and informal activities. Age, severity and preference accounted for almost 50% of the variance of diversity of recreational activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results underscore the importance of taking a child's activity preferences into account when implementing interventions to increase participation in out-of-school activities.
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia; Northern Health, 1231 Plenty Road, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia. Electronic address: n.shields@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Communication and Participation, Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Anneliese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Synnot
authors.affiliation: School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Carissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kearns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008282:Mainstreaming, Education; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D057240:Patient Preference; D011998:Recreation; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D058992:Social Participation; D014786:Vision Disorders
keywords: Activity patterns; Diversity; Frequency; Participation