Participation after acquired brain injury : Associations with everyday technology and activities in daily life

• Background: The development of the information society has led to increased use of everyday technology and changed theconditions for participation. Enabling participation in everyday life situations is an important rehabilitation goal after acquiredbrain injury (ABI). Identifying factors associated with individuals’ experienced participation and problems therein is thereforeessential. Objective: This study aimed at exploring the relationship between perceived difficulty in everyday technology use,perceived ability in the activities of daily living (ADL), and perceived participation, and participation problems in persons withABI. Methods: Eighty-one persons with ABI participated in the study and were assessed by the Impact on Participation andAutonomy questionnaire, the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire, and the ADL taxonomy. Results: Findings showed thatthe combined model of difficulty in everyday technology (ET) use, ADL ability, and the interaction between them explainedboth participation in various domains of everyday life, and also overall level of perceived participation and the perceivedproblems. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of evaluating individuals’ ability in both ET use and ADL afterABI to increase the probability of explaining these persons’ participation in desired everyday life situations and, also, forrehabilitation design.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsterapi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Therapy (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Occupational therapy

Arbetsterapi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)