im-… or … possible Health Care Professionals' Perspectives about Self-Efficacy of Children & Adolescents with Disabilities : A Qualitative Empirical Study

• Main Author: Mantas, Angelos
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Jönköping University, HLK, CHILD 2021
• Subjects: self-efficacy; healthcare professionals; children-adolescents; disability; participation; intervention practices; Other Health Sciences; Annan hälsovetenskap; Occupational Therapy; Arbetsterapi; Physiotherapy; Sjukgymnastik
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-54098

Self-efficacy constitutes the bedrock for individuals' actions and is formed through a reciprocal interaction process between the person, the environment, and the behavior. In the presence of a disability in children's and adolescents' lives, the stated process is disrupted; thus, healthcare professionals hold a pivotal role in children's and adolescents' well-being. Previous research that investigates healthcare professionals' views on self-efficacy was not found. This study followed a qualitative design with its data collection and abductive reasoning using the Family of Participation Related Construct (fPRC) framework and self-efficacy theory. The participants were ten (n=10) healthcare professionals, two from five different disciplines, who participated in individualized online interviews. This study aimed to investigate healthcare professionals’ a) perceptions, b) the importance they ascribe, and c) practices regarding self-efficacy of children and adolescents with disabilities. The study's data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. The results showed that self-efficacy is of utmost importance in healthcare professionals' practice because it relates to individuals' awareness and their expression of needs through a self-reflection process. Further, results demonstrated a bidirectional interaction of individuals' characteristics, functioning, and environmental factors with their participation (attendance and involvement) that positively or negatively affects their self-efficacy. In conclusion, healthcare professionals mentioned that the activity competence, preferences, adequate challenge, positive feedback, creation of peers' group and good therapeutic relationships enhance self-efficacy. They suggested that participation cannot exist without self-efficacy, and self-efficacy cannot be formed without participation. On this basis, the concept of participation should be taken into account when investigating self-efficacy.