Welfare technology for adolescents with disabilities

Background and aim of study

Adolescents with disabilities have different needs and resources, and many of them need long-term assistance from several health and welfare services. Welfare technology may support ADL, independent living, communication, and social participation and provide safety for adolescents and their families. Examples for welfare technologies for the target group are digital timers and applications on tablets or smartphones. These serve as aids for cognition for timing, planning and communication. 

The study explores how adolescents with cognitive and physical impairments use welfare technology in the transition from childhood to adolescence,
with a particular focus on independence and social participation. 

Adolescents’ use of welfare technology is dependent on or intertwined with relations to parents and other caregivers. Wants, needs, experiences
and perspectives of families and service providers will also be explored. 

In Norway and the Nordic countries testing and research projects on welfare technology primarily have dealt with technology for the older part of the population. Previous assessments and research have revealed that there is need for research-based knowledge about adolescents with disabilities’ use of welfare technology in their everyday lives1,2. 

The study will explore what adolescents use welfare technology for, in what way and in what situations. Through a critical approach, the researcher will take a closer look at 1) the interaction between the adolescent and technology, 2) the interaction between the adolescent, technology and other actors, and 3) the social context in which the technology is included.

Research questions

1. How are adolescents with disabilities using welfare technology for daily tasks and activities?
2. Which importance can welfare technology have for adolescents with disabilities’ independence and social participation?
3. What are the experiences of the service providers, professionals and families about the use and organisation of welfare technology for adolescents with disabilities?

Methods

The study has a qualitative methodological research design, with an ethnographical approach consisting of the following: 

• Ethnography and participant observation in the adolescents’ everyday environments.
• Two families have been included in the study.
• Formal and informal individual and group-based interviews/research conversations with professionals and service providers (approximately
  five to ten actors around each adolescent).
• The empirical material will be analysed through inductive content analysis and relevant theory/concepts within a critical social scientistic framework.

Preliminary results

Results after ethnographic research with the first family. 

1. The adolescent uses several welfare technologies such as MEMOplanner, MEMOtimer, and MemoGo as aids for cognition – time and planning.
2. The MEMOs are primarily used by the adolescent and the parents.
3. The parents and the occupational therapist consider the MEMOplanner, a tool that provides independence for the adolescent.
4. The school has implemented MEMOplanner and MEMOtimer, but the planner is rarely used.

References:

1. Østby M, Bakken H, Oterhals OM, Ellingsen KE. Jeg kan! Tidsskrift for omsorgsforskning. 2021;7(01):1-23.
2. Knarvik U, Lind KF, Rotvold GH, Trondsen MV. Internasjonal litteraturstudie om velferdsteknologi for barn og unge med funksjonsnedsettelser. Tromsø; 2020.