ICF Pilot Project

Participation of people with disabilities in the context of co-therapeutic treatment

This ICF pilot project is a practice-orientated research project with an interdisciplinary approach. In the study, a co-therapeutic music therapy and physiotherapy treatment will be carried out with three to five children (and their families) in the context of ten therapy sessions on an outpatient basis. This co-therapeutic treatment, including the children’s families, will be evaluated using the ICF classification system (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, WHO, 2001) and analysed with the help of video analyses and accompanying family discussions.

Children between the ages of 3 and 10 who are currently undergoing treatment at the VKKJ Wiental Centre for Developmental Support and Social Paediatrics (responsibility and competence for special children and adolescents) may partake in the study.

The ICF pilot project has three main objectives: On the one hand, it aims to promote the visibility and voice of people with disabilities in research. On the other hand, the project aims to support the implementation process of the ICF in an interdisciplinary team. Last but not least, the ICF pilot project aims to emphasise the importance of music therapy treatment, sharpen the indications and focus of music therapy and physiotherapy treatment, and strengthen interdisciplinary work.

The ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, WHO, 2001) as a classification system offers the possibility of a bio-psycho-social perspective on and with clients. In addition to fixed diagnoses (as known from diagnostic systems such as the ICD - ‘International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems’), the ICF offers the opportunity not only to describe ‘health problems’, but also to be able to formulate resources in addition to barriers, to consider environmental and contextual factors, and to focus jointly on activities, participation, and everyday life. In this way, a humanistic and holistic view of clients can be maintained and the participation of families in relation to questions of indication and treatment goals can be increased.

Project lead: Monika Marik

Project collaborator: Astrid Benedek (physiotherapist)

Contact: marik@mdw.ac.at

This research project is funded by the Andreas Tobias Kind Foundation (GER).
The project is being conducted in cooperation with WZMF.
Ethics approval has been granted by the mdw Ethics Commission.