Practice, play, repeat - individualized outcomes after the "intensity matters!"-program for children with disabilities - a descriptive multicase study.

Abstract

To examine and categorize individual outcomes after the "Intensity matters!"-program, a new, cross-professional intensive intervention for children with disabilities across Norway. 84 children and their parents/legal guardian were enrolled in this multicase study. Participants were active in defining goals, and hereby the content of the intervention. The pre-settled goals were grouped into the categories of body functions and structure, activities and participation inspired by the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The pre-settled goals were assessed pre- and post-intervention by using The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). A clinically important change was predefined as a change ≥2 points. 1004 pre-settled goals were categorized into focus areas, where 62.4% were categorized as activity; functional mobility (<i>n</i> = 626). Post-intervention assessment of the COPM ratings of child performance and satisfaction showed a mean change of 3.7 (range -0.25;8.5) and 3.8 (range 0.25;10), respectively. The majority of participants in the "Intensity Matters!"-program had a clinically important change in their individual goals after only three weeks of intervention. This study supports the use of client-centered measures in rehabilitation for children with disabilities, but a further examination of long-term outcome is warranted.