Purpose: The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess confidence in wheelchair mobility in Dutch youth (WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth). Methods: (1) A forward–backward translation process was used to translate the original WheelCon-M from English to Dutch. (2) Items related to wheelchair mobility in Dutch youth were selected and adapted based on focus groups with youth, parents and health care professionals to create the WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth. (3) The WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth and the Utrecht Pediatric Wheelchair Mobility Skills Test 2.0 (UP-WMST 2.0) were administered to 62 participants to evaluate internal consistency and construct validity. Results: Translation and cultural adaptation led to general adaptations in instructions, sentence structure and response scale. At the item level, 24 items were included with (n = 17) and without (n = 7) adaptation, 10 items were deleted and 7 new items were included. The WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth had an excellent Cronbach’s alpha of 0.924 and a significant correlation (r = 0.44, p < .001) with the UP-WMST 2.0. Conclusions: This study resulted in the adaptation of the WheelCon-M into the WheelCon-Mobility for Dutch youth using a manual wheelchair. Our study suggests there is evidence supporting the internal consistency and construct validity of the WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth. Implications for Rehabilitation The WheelCon-Mobility Dutch Youth is a newly developed tool for assessing confidence in wheelchair mobility in Dutch youth using a manual wheelchair. It is important to assess performance and confidence in wheelchair mobility in paediatric rehabilitation.
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Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a combination of wheelchair mobility skills (WMS) training and exercise training on physical activity (PA), WMS, confidence in wheelchair mobility, and physical fitness. Methods: Youth using a manual wheelchair (n = 60) participated in this practice-based intervention, with a waiting list period (16 weeks), exercise training (8 weeks), WMS training (8 weeks), and follow-up (16 weeks). Repeated measures included: PA (Activ8), WMS (Utrecht Pediatric Wheelchair Mobility Skills Test), confidence in wheelchair mobility (Wheelchair Mobility Confidence Scale), and physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, (an)aerobic performance) and were analysed per outcome parameter using a multilevel model analyses. Differences between the waiting list and training period were determined with an unpaired sample t-test. Results: Multilevel model analysis showed significant positive effects for PA (p = 0.01), WMS (p < 0.001), confidence in wheelchair mobility (p < 0.001), aerobic (p < 0.001), and anaerobic performance (p < 0.001). Unpaired sample t-tests underscored these effects for PA (p < 0.01) and WMS (p < 0.001). There were no effects on cardiorespiratory fitness. The order of training (exercise before WMS) had a significant effect on confidence in wheelchair mobility. Conclusions: A combination of exercise and WMS training appears to have significant positive long-term effects on PA, WMS, confidence in wheelchair mobility, and (an)aerobic performance in youth using a manual wheelchair.Implications for rehabilitationExercise training and wheelchair mobility skills (WMS) training can lead to a sustained improvement in physical activity (PA) in youth using a manual wheelchair.These combined trainings can also lead to a sustained increase in WMS, confidence in wheelchair mobility, and (an)aerobic performance.More attention is needed in clinical practice and in research towards improving PA in youth using a manual wheelchair.
