A balancing act: children's experience of modified constraint-induced movement therapy

Abstract

Objective: This qualitative study explored the experiences of children participating in modified constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) within a circus-themed day camp.

Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were performed with 32 children (15 girls, 17 boys; mean age 10.1 years) to gain insights into their experience of CIMT. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and independently read by two authors to identify common themes.

Results: Three themes emerged from the data: children's experience of wearing the glove employed in the modified CIMT, their reactions to the camp format and the gains they made during the camp.

Conclusion: The results highlighted the need to achieve a balance between the frustration of participating in modified CIMT and what was seen as motivators to sustain involvement. Findings are interpreted in the context of self-determination theory and remind clinicians to ensure interventions consider autonomy, competence and relatedness.