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Deciphering participation: an interpretive synthesis of its meaning and application in rehabilitation

Abstract Purpose: Participation is widely recognized as an important outcome for rehabilitation. However, it lacks a universally accepted definition. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the literature about participation in rehabilitation in order to clarify the term and increase its usefulness for rehabilitation providers and researchers. Methods: We undertook an interpretive synthesis of the literature, drawing from a broad and varied selection of the vast number of publications on the subject of participation. The search and analysis was iterative and continued until saturation of themes was achieved. Results and Conclusions: Seventy-six articles were included in our analysis. We argue that three essential dimensions – performance, subjective experience, and interpersonal connection – constitute participation. We further divide participation into community-based and interventional contexts. Interventional participation is circumscribed by the treatment setting, whereas community-based encompasses all other areas. Participation in either interventional or community-based contexts is largely determined by the available opportunities from which a person can choose, with such opportunities affected by conditions that are either internal or external to the individual. As defined in this framework, participation is not inherently good or bad; rather, its effect is determined by a person’s unique life circumstances and the impact may not always be apparent. We posit this model as a resource for future research as well as clinical reasoning. Implications for Rehabilitation The often tacit assumption that increasing participation is a desirable outcome needs to be challenged and considered in each patient’s life situation. Treatment settings constitute a unique context in which patients participate. Intervention goals should be clearly connected with patients’ personal goals for community-based participation.