TEAM APPROACHES TO TREATING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES - A COMPARISON

Objective: To investigate differences in team functioning between the multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary models when treating children with disabilities. Design: A crossover trial. Setting: An outpatient e ducational and rehabilitation program in a rehabilitation institute ba sed at a university medical center. Participants: A population-based s ample of 19 rehabilitation specialists and educators. Intervention: Pa rticipants attended four team meetings using the multidisciplinary app roach and then attended four team meetings using the transdisciplinary approach. Outcome Measures: Behavioral ratings of team participation (Transdisciplinary Team Rating Scale) and self-report instruments of t eam development (Team Assessment Questionnaire) and treatment planning and goal development (Staff Perception Questionnaire). Results: Resul ts of t tests confirmed the hypothesis that there was more team member participation during transdisciplinary meetings than during multidisc iplinary meetings (p = .027), There were no differences in levels of t eam development (p = .329); however, staff members favored the transdi sciplinary model for treatment planning and goal development (p < .001 ). Conclusion: This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of th e transdisciplinary model. Further research is now needed to investiga te outcome variables such as rate of success in attaining treatment go als when using this model. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabi litation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Re habilitation.