Occupation-Based Collaborator Engagement in Research: Developing a Cerebral Palsy Task Force

Engaging community collaborators in research is crucial for enhancing health care outcomes, especially for cerebral palsy (CP). However, effective multi-collaborator involvement poses challenges. This study used an occupation-based approach to engage community collaborators in developing a CP Task Force to initiate patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research and evaluated member perspectives on roles and experiences. A repeated cross-sectional design was employed, with 18 CP Task Force members completing 39 surveys. Engagement activities focused on social participation, leisure, play, education, and work. Surveys assessed team culture, trust, and role satisfaction. Descriptive statistics analyzed survey data, while thematic analysis summarized qualitative responses. Participants reported high satisfaction and engagement. Key themes included inclusivity, effective communication, accessibility, and expanded engagement. Occupation-based engagement can enhance collaboration, build rapport, and create a shared sense of purpose among multi-collaborators when establishing a CP Task Force to support patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.