Factors Associated with Participation Patterns of Young Brazilian Children with Myelomeningocele

To describe participation patterns and identify factors associated with participation of young Brazilian children with myelomeningocele (MMC) in their home, daycare/preschool, and community settings. The participants were parents/caregivers of 70 children with MMC, averaging 26.7 (±17.3) months in age. Participation was measured by the Young Children’s Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) completed by interview. Simple and stepwise multiple linear egression models were used to examine factors associated with participation. On average children participated in home activities a few times a week, community activities once a month to a few times in the last month, and daycare or preschool activities once to a few times in the past four months. Age was associated with participation frequency (R2 = 0.32; p R2 = 0.27; p R2 = 0.30; p R2 = 0.21; p R2 = 0.10; p = .006) and caregivers’ desire for change in community participation (R2 = 0.11; p = .006). Knowledge of participation and factors that influence participation can help in designing interventions to improve participation opportunities for young children with MMC.