Influence of Roulez avec confiance , a peer-led community-based wheelchair skills training program, on manual wheelchair users

Exploring the Influence of a Community-Based Peer-Led Wheelchair Skills Training on Satisfaction with Participation in Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida: A Pilot Study

“…Gowran et al, reported parent perceived benefits of their child interacting with an adult wheelchair user, such that watching another person successfully perform skills fostered their children's belief in their own potential and revealed skills that were unimaginable before [24]. The results of the current study support this finding and are in line with observations made among adults [24,[33][34][35]. Higher self-efficacy is associated with an increased frequency of use of wheelchair skills and higher life-space mobility [61], thus may facilitate participation in PWCUs.…”

“…This was the first study to examine the influence of community-based peer-led wheelchair skills training that combined pediatric manual and power wheelchair users. The results were similar to observations made with adults [34,35], such that satisfaction with participation among PWCUs with cerebral palsy and spina bifida and their parents increased after wheelchair skills training. As the difference between pre-and post-intervention satisfaction scores was statistically significant with a medium to large effect, the results are encouraging to support the ultimate goal of rehabilitation (i.e., to facilitate full participation in meaningful occupations).…”

“…Studies have suggested the potential power of peer and group approaches, respectively for providing mentorship and support for people with disability, including wheelchair users [35,[58][59][60]. The power of these approaches may extend to children and adolescents as well.…”

“…Peers share life experiences and are perceived as a credible source of information [59]. Moreover, the vicarious experience that is provided by watching the peer-trainers and the other participants of the group can strengthen self-efficacy in one's ability to learn new skills and can influence behaviour changes (e.g., wheelchair use) [35,60]. Gowran et al, reported parent perceived benefits of their child interacting with an adult wheelchair user, such that watching another person successfully perform skills fostered their children's belief in their own potential and revealed skills that were unimaginable before [24].…”

“…Peer-led training, wherein experienced wheelchair users are trained to teach others wheelchair skills through sharing of experiential knowledge, represents one possible solution to expand the delivery of wheelchair skills training into the community [31,32]. Although peer-led training with minimal support of an healthcare professional was effective for improving wheelchair skills and participation in adults [33][34][35], only two case studies have documented the influence of peers on wheelchair skills training in pediatrics. Through verbal instruction and demonstration of how to execute manual wheelchair skills, a nineyear-old [23] and an adult manual wheelchair user supported by health professionals [24] helped PWCUs improve their manual wheelchair mobility.…”