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Ride-On Cars With Different Postures and Motivation in Children With Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Hsiang-Han Huang1, Ching-Hao Chang2, Wan-Ying Tsai3
1Hsiang-Han Huang, ScD, OTR, is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Associate Research Fellow, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; hsianghan@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
Ride-on car (ROC) training, in either standing or sitting positions, effectively boosts children's mastery motivation and reduces parental stress. This approach offers significant benefits for young children with motor disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Developmental Psychology
- Occupational Therapy
Background:
- Childhood mastery motivation and independent mobility are crucial for development.
- Parenting stress can impact a child's developmental trajectory.
- Early interventions can significantly influence outcomes for children with disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of ride-on car (ROC) training in enhancing mastery motivation in young children.
- To assess the impact of ROC training on reducing parental stress levels.
- To compare the effectiveness of standing (ROC-Stand) versus sitting (ROC-Sit) postures during ROC training.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a pretest-posttest design was employed.
- Thirty-nine children aged 1-3 years with disabilities were allocated to ROC-Stand, ROC-Sit, or conventional therapy groups.
- Training involved 2-hour sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks, followed by a 12-week follow-up.
Main Results:
- All groups demonstrated improvements in social persistence, mastery pleasure, and general competence.
- Both ROC training groups experienced a significantly greater reduction in parenting stress compared to the control group.
- Enhanced general competence in the ROC-Stand group correlated with reduced parent-child dysfunctional interaction.
Conclusions:
- ROC training is an effective intervention for increasing children's mastery motivation and decreasing parenting stress.
- The study highlights the potential of active, exploratory experiences for children with motor disabilities.
- ROC training provides a novel therapeutic approach for pediatric populations.
