Does thinking and doing the same thing amount to involved participation? Empirical explorations for finding a measure of intensity for a third ICF-CY qualifier.

BACKGROUND: Participation as involvement in a situation includes two dimensions; doing the activity and the experience of involvement.
OBJECTIVES: The ICF-CY only measures doing using the capacity and performance qualifiers, a dimension measuring the experience is needed; a third qualifier. HYPOTHESIS: The experienced involvement of pupils in school activities is higher when thinking and doing coincided.
METHODS: By comparing self-reported experiences of involvement of children, data about what children were thinking and doing during activities were gathered from 21 children with and 19 without disabilities in inclusive classrooms.
RESULTS: A relationship exists between an index of the subjective experience of involvement and whether children were thinking and doing the same things.
CONCLUSION: This index can be constructed using measures of concentration, control, involvement, and motivation. Choice is influential, as knowledge about why an activity is undertaken affects involvement. Additionally, increased subjective experience of involvement gives better psychological health and well-being.