Exploring the clothing-related needs and barriers of children and youth with physical disabilities: a scoping review.

Abstract

Clothing is crucial in enhancing functional abilities and promoting social participation for children and youth with physical disabilities. They often struggle to access clothing that supports daily activities and social participation. Yet, little is known about their clothing needs. This scoping review synthesizes existing research to explore the clothing-related experiences of these individuals. This scoping review followed the JBI methodology and systematically searched five international databases: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. 6549 studies were identified, of which 17 met the inclusion criteria, covering six countries spanning over 61 years, involving 550 participants. We noted the following trends: (1) clothing challenges and concerns (i.e., functional challenges; esthetic concerns; fitting, sizing and comfort challenges; dignity and modesty concerns; fabric, fiber and durability challenges; safety concerns) (2) clothing design-development, clothing adaptation and clothing assessment; (3) impact of clothing on physical health, daily life and independence; and (4) impact of clothing on mental health (i.e., self-esteem and confidence, social inclusion and acceptance). The findings revealed that clothing affects the daily functioning, independence, overall health of this population. Future research should prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration among rehabilitation clinicians, designers, and caregivers to develop inclusive clothing designs that address these needs.