Parenting with a physical disability: A scoping review of assessment methods

Abstract

Introduction Daily childcare can be challenging for parents with a physical disability who have young children. Occupational therapists are valuable facilitators to family participation. However, occupational therapists have reported significant gaps in knowledge when documenting the parenting role of parents with a physical disability in occupational therapy practice. This study explored and described the parenting assessment methods used with parents with a physical disability in the scientific literature. Methods A scoping review was conducted, and search results were reviewed by two separate reviewers. The search strategy was applied to five databases (Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, HaPI, PsycInfo). Numerical and thematic analyses were conducted. Results Four thousand one hundred fifty articles were screened, and 73 relevant scientific articles were included. Seventy‐six assessment methods were identified, including 20 assessment instruments with few reported population‐specific psychometric studies. Most assessments were conducted via interviews (n = 45), followed by questionnaires (n = 27), and only six were performance based. Parenting practices and experience were the two dimensions most assessed, with little attention given to parenting responsibility. Mothers with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis, and cerebral palsy were the most assessed. Conclusion Further research is needed to develop specific, multidimensional, and validated parenting assessments for all parents with a physical disability, including performance‐based assessments. Formal assessments should be conducted by professionals, including occupational therapists, who have the necessary training.

The Experience of Pregnancy-Related Lumbopelvic Pain: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

“…The postpartum period itself, with the sudden change in daily life, distancing people from their personal interests, and making it difficult to reconcile occupational roles are factors that can produce stress, fatigue, frustrations, and feelings of overload (De Ciências et al, 2018). Evidence from occupational therapy practice with parents with physical disabilities and mental health difficulties could inform occupational therapy practice with this population (Lim et al, 2022; Pastor-Bédard et al, 2022; Wint et al, 2016). Occupational therapy interventions to support parents can benefit the emotional and physical environment for child development (Acharya, 2014), therefore, development of interventions for parents with lumbopelvic pain may also potentially support positive child development outcomes.…”

“…Occupational therapists enact components of cognitive-behavioural treatments such as promotion of self-management, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, habit reversal, and behavioral activation including goal-setting and pacing (Skjutar et al, 2010; Stanos, 2012). Furthermore, occupational therapists can facilitate parenting occupations and development of parenting skills in those parenting with a physical disability or in difficult social circumstances (Lim et al, 2022; Pastor-Bédard et al, 2022; Wint et al, 2016). Despite the alignment of occupational therapy skills and services with the needs of this population we identified no papers describing occupational therapy practice with pregnant people with lumbopelvic pain.…”

Babycare Assistance Needs of Parents With Physical Disabilities: An Observational Study

“…This study had certain limitations. First, due to a current lack of validated performance-based parent measures (Pastor-Bédard et al, 2023), our home-based observations used an adapted version of the ADL Profile for which psychometric studies have not yet been completed. Thus, steps were taken to limit inter-rater variability between the dyads (e.g., training, only two researcher OTs throughout the study).…”

“…In clinical settings, the challenges associated with observation-based assessments may limit their use, despite being considered a gold standard for parenting assessments (Hawes & Dadds, 2006). More specifically, in occupational therapy, a discipline in which observational skills are foundational (Stigen et al, 2023), the current lack of formal observation-based methods validated for parents with physical disabilities (Pastor-Bédard et al, 2023) further limits therapists’ ability to assess parents’ babycare assistance needs. Moreover, while it is often advanced that parents with physical disabilities have support needs (National Council on Disability, 2012), it is unclear what babycare activities and activity-related components are most challenging and to what extent.…”