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BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurological condition interfering with family relationships and co-regulation capabilities. Therefore, exploring factors underpinning parental co-regulation ability is crucial for future fostering relationships in families of children with ADHD. OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study aims to characterize and compare the executive-functions, anxiety, self-efficacy, and sensory modulation in mothers of children with and without ADHD. METHOD: Mothers of children with (study group) and without (control-comparison, group) ADHD completed online self-reports, measuring executive-functions; parental self-efficacy; anxiety; and sensory modulation. RESULTS: The study group (N = 40) had lower self-efficacy compared to the control group (N = 27; p = 0.018), and the control group had lower sensory responsiveness (p = 0.025). Within both groups the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A) Global Executive Function Composite score (GEC) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were moderately correlated. Further, within the study group correlations were found between the BRIEF-A-GEC and the Sensory Responsiveness Questionnaire (SRQ)-Aversive scores (r = 0.37, p ≤ 0.01), and between the BRIEF-A Behavioral-Rating-Index and the parental self-efficacy scores (r = 0.31, p ≤ 0.05). Within the control group, negative correlations were found between the BRIEF-A-GEC and SRQ-Hedonic scores (r= -0.44, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Self-efficacy, executive-functions, high sensory responsiveness and anxiety traits are interwoven and may impact parental co-regulation ability.

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AIM: To evaluate the participation in everyday activities of school-aged children with and without Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) in two samples using two different standardized measures of participation. METHODS: Study 1 comprised 60 children between 8 and 12 years (M = 10.2, SD = 1.2), 30 of them with and 30 without SLD. Participation was assessed by the LIFE-H questionnaire. Study 2 comprised 30 children between 8 and 12 years (M = 10.1, SD = 1.3), 14 of them had SLD, and 16 were typically developing children. Participation was assessed using the Child Participation Questionnaire. RESULTS: As expected, the participation of children with SLD was significantly decreased in the learning domain compared with children without SLD as well as most other occupational domains. Parents of children with SLD reported lower child's enjoyment and lower parental satisfaction compared to parents of children without SLD. CONCLUSIONS: Participation and satisfaction of children and families was lower in children with SLD. We suggest measuring participation and addressing it in evaluations and interventions with this population in order to support their engagement in daily activities beyond school participation and to focus on additional needs of this population.

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IMPORTANCE: The subjective meaning that people attach to their occupations may explain the association among participation, health, and well-being. To date, the subjective meaning of occupation among children has mostly been studied through qualitative studies. No study has yet quantitatively assessed the perceived meaning of everyday activities among children. Moreover, no study has assessed the associations between perceived meaning and actual participation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the perceived meaning-value, challenge, felt time, and autonomy-that typically developing children attribute to their everyday activities and to assess the correlations between children's perceived meaning and their participation as assessed by parents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 60 Israeli children (ages 6-12 yr) and their parents. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Parents completed the Children Participation Questionnaire-School, and children completed the Perceived Meaning of Occupation Questionnaire (PMOQ). RESULTS: Children valued their activities, they perceived the challenge as low, they felt that the time was almost equally distributed between time passing quickly and passing slowly, and they felt autonomous. The subjective perceived meanings were moderately correlated with the children's actual participation. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Children are capable of reflecting on the meaning of their everyday activities. The PMOQ may assist occupational therapy practitioners in eliciting their young clients' perspectives regarding their everyday occupations. The results contribute to the occupational science literature in the context of child development. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: The PMOQ enables children to reflect on their subjective perceived meanings of occupations. The subjective perceived meanings of occupations are moderately correlated with the children's actual participation. The PMOQ may broaden the potential pathways to facilitating children's meaningful participation in everyday occupations.

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BACKGROUND: Postures while sitting are believed to have an important influence on the process of writing and quality of handwriting, but data in this field are sparse. OBJECTIVES: The current study was undertaken to investigate correlations between 'ordinary' children's handwriting skills and their posture and stability while sitting. METHODS: Twenty-nine children with typical development (age 9.2±0.8 years) underwent the Hebrew Handwriting Evaluation, while the pressure distributions on their seats and backrests were recorded using a pressure mapping system. RESULTS: There was an increase in the odds of erasing and overwriting letters in dictation tasks when body displacements of the buttocks increased [Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.01, 95% CI 1.000-1.02, p = 0.050]. Children who did not lean on the backrest were more likely to have legible handwriting in copying tasks (OR = 0.136, 95% CI 0.026-0.723, p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: The awareness and involvement of health practitioners in sitting postures of children at school might promote activities such as writing. Further investigation of movement patterns while writing and of the correlations of these patterns with handwriting outcomes is recommended. More research regarding adjustments at the school environment for children with developmental disorders is also warranted.

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PURPOSE: Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational method that fosters self-directed study in small groups. The purpose of this study was to describe the Tel Aviv University's occupational therapy (OT) program and the challenges implementing such program. In addition, the study compared the PBL grades obtained by students who are native Hebrew speakers with those students who are native Arabic speakers; and, assessed the correlation between the grades in the PBL course and the grades in the clinical fieldwork studies. METHOD: 166-second year OT undergraduate students participated. All completed three PBL courses and seven weeks of clinical fieldwork studies. Data collection included students' grades in PBL course (based on PBL evaluation forms) and in clinical fieldwork studies (based on preceptor's evaluation and a written assignment). RESULTS: Pearson correlations revealed significant correlations between PBL grades and clinical fieldwork studies grades. T-test analysis between students who are native Hebrew speakers and those who are native Arabic speakers revealed significant differences in PBL grades. CONCLUSIONS: Findings imply partial congruence between students' grades in the PBL course and their achievements in the fieldwork studies. Findings might suggest that adjustments should be made in order to assist students from minorities (challenged by language requirements) in gaining higher grades in the PBL program. Implications for Rehabilitation Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational method, which fosters independent, self-directed study in small groups. PBL studies have the potential to prepare students for their clinical experience during studies. The PBL program should be adjusted for students from minorities (challenged by language requirements and different cultural backgrounds) in order to assist them in gaining more benefits from the program.

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