Adriana Frazão, Sofia Santos, Celeste Simões, Ester Pereira e Paula Lebre
Preliminary results of “Psicomotricidade IE”: a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder
The high prevalence of mental health and behaviour problems and their correlation with motor difficulties among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require health education interventions targeted at early childhood development more holistically, aiming for their full inclusion. The motor skills of children with typical development (TD) are weakly correlated with social-emotional functioning. However, social inclusion is considered a determinant of mental health and well-being in early childhood. Thus, promoting these competencies in educational settings is fundamental to decrease the vulnerability of social isolation. Psychomotor interventions have integrated features suitable for preschool children, although needed for effectiveness.
This research presentation aims to share the preliminary results of the effects of an inclusive psychomotor intervention program (Psicomotricidade IE!) on motor and socioemotional skills of preschool children (aged 4- 6 years) with ASD and typical development.
This study involved a convenience sample of 12 Portuguese children (6 with ASD; 6 with TD) in the experimental group and ten children (4 with ASD; 6 with TD) in the waiting list group. Written informed consent and assent were obtained, guaranteeing anonymity and confidentiality.
A pre-post assessment included data from Neuropsychomotor Function Evaluation Battery (NP-mot.pt) to assess the psychomotor profile, Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales - Second Edition (PKBS-2), and Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL) to measure social skills and problems behaviours. A group-based intervention, included expressive-oriented and action-oriented movement, music and stories with pictograms, during 12 sessions.
Comparing pre and post-test, a statistically significant improvement was found in NP-mot.pt (z=–2.247, p<.05) in the experimental group but not in the waiting list group. This difference seems to be more significant in children with TD. No statistically significant differences were found in PKBS-2 and CBCL scales (p>.05). Insights about bodily play experiences, mental health in ASD and social inclusion are discussed.
Professor Tania Hart
Reporting the findings from the STaRS (Siblings Together are Really Stronger) research project, which explored how the wellbeing of siblings of children with life-limiting conditions can be promoted.
Introduction: This study focused on the siblings of children with life limiting conditions (LCC) who are sometimes referred to as ‘glass’, or overlooked, children. Their experiences are rarely explored, however, evidence suggests they have concerning vulnerabilities compared to their peers, i.e., more prone to mental health, learning and social difficulties. Furthermore, their vulnerabilities escalate in teenage years, putting them at increased risk of social exclusion and disadvantage in adulthood.
Ethics: De Montfort University ethics approval was obtained (19/2/21). Due to the age of the children and the sensitivity of the enquiry full NHS HRA approval was obtained (5/5/21).
Methods: Qualitative methods were used to explore the experiences of 12, LCC siblings; aged 9-14 years. The aim was to determine how they perceived their wellbeing and resilience could be promoted. Data was gathered via creative activities, combined with conventional focus group questioning. Wellbeing and resilience psychometric data was also collected.
Results: The participants described how they coped resiliently with family adversity and caring responsibilities. They struggled with how different their lives were to their peers. They also worried about their sibling when they were very sick or in hospital. It was during these times they often felt unsupported and anxious because their parents needed to prioritise their sick sibling. They reported that one way of making their lives easier was if their schools had a better awareness of their challenges so they could receive the learning assistance they required.
Conclusion: STaRS findings cannot be generalised to a larger population of LCC siblings; however, findings provide insight into their unique difficulties. This information, when disseminated, has the potential to promote public awareness so they may be better assisted, especially when at school. Furthermore, the worthiness of exploring more widely these children’s needs is highlighted, so they are no longer overlooked.
Marcia White
The Discourse of Permanent Exclusion: Through the Lens of an Early Career Researcher (ECR)
I will be contrasting the discourse surrounding permanent exclusion, through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of a Permanent Exclusion letter (using only one example makes generalisability problematic) through which I aim to explore the conflict between the permanent exclusion as a process and inclusive practice using a, “multiperspectivalism” approach to CDA (Jorgensen and Philips, 2002). The CDA will be conducted through the critical reflective lens of the student using Brookfield (1998) who believed that more reflective practice from teachers would lead to better understanding of their students. What is more, the power dynamic in the wording of the permanent exclusion letter, that is linked to the political guidance (DfE, 2015, DfE, 2022), illustrates an example of dominant discourses being infused into wider society (Foucault, 1984) conflicting with the discourse of inclusive practice (Brookfield, 1998; DfE, 2015; Timpson, 2019; DfE, 2022).
The idea to analyse the permanent exclusion letter came from my reflections on conversations I have had with students about their permanent exclusion from mainstream education and who attend the Alternative Provision (AP) in which I undertake my first order practitioner role. Their experiences throughout the exclusion process appeared to contradict the inclusive practice outlined in the SEN Code of Practice (2015) and the Timpson Review (2019), presenting an opportunity for reflexive questioning into further explanation.
Alongside this research I will be reflecting on my first order and second order roles. I intend to address the following questions:
· What is my voice?
· Where am I positioned?
· How has my autobiography underpinned the answer to these questions?
A discovery to emerge from this reflective journey, which I would like to develop further, is my positionality as I move between schools, while switching identities, in my second order practitioner role. My position moves from supporting schools to challenging them, in a similar way to how code switching operates, I am going between the contradictory (but parallel) discourses of inclusion and exclusion in my day-to-day practice.
Preliminary results of “Psicomotricidade IE”: a psychomotor intervention program for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder
The high prevalence of mental health and behaviour problems and their correlation with motor difficulties among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require health education interventions targeted at early childhood development more holistically, aiming for their full inclusion. The motor skills of children with typical development (TD) are weakly correlated with social-emotional functioning. However, social inclusion is considered a determinant of mental health and well-being in early childhood. Thus, promoting these competencies in educational settings is fundamental to decrease the vulnerability of social isolation. Psychomotor interventions have integrated features suitable for preschool children, although needed for effectiveness.
This research presentation aims to share the preliminary results of the effects of an inclusive psychomotor intervention program (Psicomotricidade IE!) on motor and socioemotional skills of preschool children (aged 4- 6 years) with ASD and typical development.
This study involved a convenience sample of 12 Portuguese children (6 with ASD; 6 with TD) in the experimental group and ten children (4 with ASD; 6 with TD) in the waiting list group. Written informed consent and assent were obtained, guaranteeing anonymity and confidentiality.
A pre-post assessment included data from Neuropsychomotor Function Evaluation Battery (NP-mot.pt) to assess the psychomotor profile, Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales - Second Edition (PKBS-2), and Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL) to measure social skills and problems behaviours. A group-based intervention, included expressive-oriented and action-oriented movement, music and stories with pictograms, during 12 sessions.
Comparing pre and post-test, a statistically significant improvement was found in NP-mot.pt (z=–2.247, p<.05) in the experimental group but not in the waiting list group. This difference seems to be more significant in children with TD. No statistically significant differences were found in PKBS-2 and CBCL scales (p>.05). Insights about bodily play experiences, mental health in ASD and social inclusion are discussed.
Professor Tania Hart
Reporting the findings from the STaRS (Siblings Together are Really Stronger) research project, which explored how the wellbeing of siblings of children with life-limiting conditions can be promoted.
Introduction: This study focused on the siblings of children with life limiting conditions (LCC) who are sometimes referred to as ‘glass’, or overlooked, children. Their experiences are rarely explored, however, evidence suggests they have concerning vulnerabilities compared to their peers, i.e., more prone to mental health, learning and social difficulties. Furthermore, their vulnerabilities escalate in teenage years, putting them at increased risk of social exclusion and disadvantage in adulthood.
Ethics: De Montfort University ethics approval was obtained (19/2/21). Due to the age of the children and the sensitivity of the enquiry full NHS HRA approval was obtained (5/5/21).
Methods: Qualitative methods were used to explore the experiences of 12, LCC siblings; aged 9-14 years. The aim was to determine how they perceived their wellbeing and resilience could be promoted. Data was gathered via creative activities, combined with conventional focus group questioning. Wellbeing and resilience psychometric data was also collected.
Results: The participants described how they coped resiliently with family adversity and caring responsibilities. They struggled with how different their lives were to their peers. They also worried about their sibling when they were very sick or in hospital. It was during these times they often felt unsupported and anxious because their parents needed to prioritise their sick sibling. They reported that one way of making their lives easier was if their schools had a better awareness of their challenges so they could receive the learning assistance they required.
Conclusion: STaRS findings cannot be generalised to a larger population of LCC siblings; however, findings provide insight into their unique difficulties. This information, when disseminated, has the potential to promote public awareness so they may be better assisted, especially when at school. Furthermore, the worthiness of exploring more widely these children’s needs is highlighted, so they are no longer overlooked.
Marcia White
The Discourse of Permanent Exclusion: Through the Lens of an Early Career Researcher (ECR)
I will be contrasting the discourse surrounding permanent exclusion, through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of a Permanent Exclusion letter (using only one example makes generalisability problematic) through which I aim to explore the conflict between the permanent exclusion as a process and inclusive practice using a, “multiperspectivalism” approach to CDA (Jorgensen and Philips, 2002). The CDA will be conducted through the critical reflective lens of the student using Brookfield (1998) who believed that more reflective practice from teachers would lead to better understanding of their students. What is more, the power dynamic in the wording of the permanent exclusion letter, that is linked to the political guidance (DfE, 2015, DfE, 2022), illustrates an example of dominant discourses being infused into wider society (Foucault, 1984) conflicting with the discourse of inclusive practice (Brookfield, 1998; DfE, 2015; Timpson, 2019; DfE, 2022).
The idea to analyse the permanent exclusion letter came from my reflections on conversations I have had with students about their permanent exclusion from mainstream education and who attend the Alternative Provision (AP) in which I undertake my first order practitioner role. Their experiences throughout the exclusion process appeared to contradict the inclusive practice outlined in the SEN Code of Practice (2015) and the Timpson Review (2019), presenting an opportunity for reflexive questioning into further explanation.
Alongside this research I will be reflecting on my first order and second order roles. I intend to address the following questions:
· What is my voice?
· Where am I positioned?
· How has my autobiography underpinned the answer to these questions?
A discovery to emerge from this reflective journey, which I would like to develop further, is my positionality as I move between schools, while switching identities, in my second order practitioner role. My position moves from supporting schools to challenging them, in a similar way to how code switching operates, I am going between the contradictory (but parallel) discourses of inclusion and exclusion in my day-to-day practice.
