Assisted ambulation and activity for restless or passive persons with profound multiple disabilities: Assessing performance and preferences

Two adults with profound multiple disabilities and restlessness or passivit y were exposed to two occupational conditions involving (a) robot-assisted ambulation and activity in a fairly large area and (b) unassisted ambulatio n and activity in a small area. The aim was to examine the participants' pe rformance (independent activities, ambulation, and challenging behavior) in the two conditions and their possible preferences between those conditions . Data showed that the participants had higher percentages of independent a ctivities, higher percentages of ambulation, and somewhat lower percentages of challenging behavior in the condition with the robot. The participants also seemed to prefer this condition over the one without the robot. Implic ations of the findings were discussed. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons , Ltd.