Caregiver Perceptions of GoBabyGo Car Usage

This qualitative study aims to understand caregiver perceptions of their child’s play using a modified ride-on toy car (MROC). Caregivers of children with disabilities participated in a semi-structured interview and a photo-elicitation interview to better understand their beliefs, attitudes, values, and feelings about their children’s play with a MROC. A directed content analysis was used based on constructs of the model for the Process for Establishing Children’s Occupations (PECO; Wiseman et al., 2005). Most constructs of the PECO model, including stages of play and influences on play, were identified within the caregivers’ descriptions of children's play with the MROC. Additional themes beyond the PECO model emerged from the data, including how children's performance skills impacted play with the MROC and how play with the MROC was a co-occupation. Five main themes that emerged from the data were motivations, parent views and values, transformation, performance skills, and co-occupation. Caregivers reported that play with MROCs helped their children with disabilities become more independent in play, develop motor skills, and enjoy typical play experiences. Overall, the results are largely consistent with constructs of the PECO model. Limitations in the children’s performance skills necessitated play with the MROC being a co-occupation that was enjoyed by the family. Results support that play with a MROC promotes skill development in children with disabilities beyond play skills. This study highlights the importance of caregiver facilitation, playmates, and accessible assistive technology for children with disabilities, to enable them to play and be mobile in their environments.