Abstract:
There is a shortage of research on the participation of children with intellectual disabilities
from middle-income countries. Also, most child assessments measure either the child’s or the
caregiver’s perceptions of participation. Participation, however, is an amalgamation of both
perspectives, as caregivers play a significant role in both accessing and facilitating opportunities for
children’s participation. This paper reports on both perceptions—those of children with intellectual
disabilities and those of their caregiver, in India and South Africa. A quantitative group comparison
was conducted using the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) that
was translated into Bengali and four South African languages. One hundred child–caregiver
dyads from India and 123 pairs from South Africa participated in the study. The results revealed
interesting similarities and differences in participation patterns, both between countries and between
children and their caregivers. Differences between countries were mostly related to the intensity
of participation, with whom, and where participation occurred. Caregiver and child reports
differed significantly regarding participation and the enjoyment of activities. This study emphasises
the need for consideration of cultural differences when examining participation and suggests
that a combined caregiver-and-child-reported approach may provide the broadest perspective on
children’s participation.
