Exploring changes over time in habilitation professionals' perceptions and applications of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, version for Children and Youth (ICF-CY)

• Published in: Journal of rehabilitation medicine Vol. 42; no. 7; pp. 670 - 678
• Main Authors: Adolfsson, Margareta, Granlund, Mats, Björck-Akesson, Eva, Ibragimova, Nina, Pless, Mia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden 01-07-2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Child; Children; Classification; Diffusion of Innovation; Disability; Disability Evaluation; Disability research; Disabled Children - classification; Disabled Children - rehabilitation; Female; Goals; habilitation; Handikappsforskning; Humans; ICF-CY; implementation; Infant; Inservice training; Inservice Training - manpower; interdisciplinary; Interdisciplinary team work; International Classification of Diseases; Male; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Patient Care Team; Rehabilitation Centers - manpower; Rehabilitation Centers - organization & administration; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP; SOCIAL SCIENCES; Social work; Socialt arbete; Socialvetenskap; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young people; habilitation; ICF-CY; disability; implementation; adolescent; classification; interdisciplinary; child
• ISSN: 1650-1977; 1651-2081; 1651-2081
• DOI: 10.2340/16501977-0586

This study explored how professionals in inter-disciplinary teams perceived the implementation of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, version for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) in Swedish habilitation services.
Descriptive longitudinal mixed-methods design.
Following participation in a 2-day in-service training on the ICF-CY, 113 professionals from 14 interdisciplinary teams described their perceptions of the implementation of the ICF-CY at 3 consecutive time-points: during in-service training, after 1 year, and after 2.5 years.
Implementation of the ICF-CY in daily work focused on assessment and habilitation planning and required adaptations of routines and materials. The ICF-CY was perceived as useful in supporting analyses and in communication about children's needs. Professionals also perceived it as contributing to new perspectives on problems and a sharpened focus on participation.
Professionals indicated that the ICF-CY enhanced their awareness of families' views of child participation, which corresponded to organizational goals for habilitation services. An implementation finding was a lack of tools fitting the comprehensive ICF-CY perspective. The study points to the need for ICF-CY-based assessment and intervention methods focusing on child participation.