ABSTRACT

Objectives: To identify the similarities and differences in community participation patterns and environmental factors that affect community participation between Korean children with and without disabilities. Methods: This study used the Korean version of Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (KPEM-CY) for 184 Korean children with and without disabilities aged 5 to 13 years. Analyses of Covariance (ANCOVA) to control for age and family annual income and Pearson chi-square tests were applied to compare differences in KPEM-CY item-level scores between two groups. Results: Compared to typically developing children, children with disabilities lower frequency and extent of involvement and their parents were less satisfied with their children’s community participation. Those parents reported that there were many factors hindering their children’s participation: cognitive/social abilities needed for community activities, relationship with peers, equipments and supplies, parent’s money and time. otherwise, personal/public transportation and community program/services were supports to community participation. Conclusion: Study findings help to identify limitation in participation of Korean children with disabilities in community activities and a lack of environmental factors supporting their participation. It provides occupational therapists with the fact that they need to have knowledge about participation concept and interaction between participation and environmental factors.