The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47807

Susan Stark, PhD¹, Tina Butterfield, OTS¹, Kerri Morgan, OTR/L², Dana Sutter, MS OTR/L², and David B. Gray, PhD². (1) Washington University, Program in Occupational Therapy, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Campus Box 8505, St. Louis, MO 63108, 314 286 1626, starksu@msnotes.wustl.edu, (2) Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University, Campus Box 8505, 4444 Forest Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108-2292

The environment plays an important role in the performance of people who have disabilities. While conceptual models include the environment, much work needs to be done to develop and assess objective measures of the environment (Mathiowetz & Wunderlich, 2000). The Cognitive mapping exercise (Lynch, 1960) is an interview method often used (e.g., Spencer, 1989, Hart, 1979, Hill & Michelson, 1981) to identify an individual’s perceptions of a community environment. The method has been adapted by Vujakovic & Matthews (1994) to identify the use of community by persons who have disabilities to identify physical barriers to community performance. The method is used similarly here to identify the physical and attitudinal barriers and enablers to performance which support the development of an objective measure of the environment. Twenty-five people with mobility impairments were interviewed in their home using the Cognitive mapping exercise and open ended interview questions. Descriptive statistics of variables that profile the respondents (including type of disability and furthest distance traveled over the past week) were also collected. The constant comparison method was used to analyze the drawings and text from field notes using the constant comparative method. Using this technique, environmental features and destinations that characterize those components of the environment that are relevant to the social participation of individuals with disabilities were identified. These domains were then used in the development of a community environmental assessment.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the key components in performing cognitive mapping interviews.
• Identify the relevance of cognitive mapping in developing an objective measure of the built environment.
• Describe different environmental features/attributes and sites/destinations that were found to be relevant to the participation of people with mobility limitations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.