Article

PURPOSE: To argue for and propose bipartite concepts of functioning and
disability, to tally with the structure of the ICF classification list, concepts
of social models and clinical needs. METHOD: The ICF concepts are discussed in
relation to the history of ideas regarding disability concepts and the needs for
such concepts in interdisciplinary rehabilitation.
RESULTS: Bipartite concepts
are presented; they refer to actual functioning, simply body functions/structures
and participation, including functioning in standardized environments.
Participation refers to actually performed "activities", with "activities" simply
denoting things that people may do. Bipartite concepts are congruent with the ICF
classification and the structure of social models of disability, suitable for
clinical and interdisciplinary use and easy to understand.
The issue of
standardized environments represents a methodological issue rather than the
conceptual issue of defining functioning and disability. An individual
perspective on activity and activity limitations, i.e. the middle part of the
tripartite ICF concept, is somewhat similar to concepts of traditional language
that were regarded as too generalizing already in 1912, when the interactional
concept of "disability in a social sense" was introduced in rehabilitation
practices. CONCLUSION: Bipartite concepts of functioning and disability are
recommended for interdisciplinary use of the ICF. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The ICF classification is useful, but the ICF concept of
activities in an individual perspective is confusing. We suggest a use of the
term "activities" simply to denote things that people may do and "participation"
to denote actually performed activities. Estimations of ability should be
explicit about how they are related to environmental factors.
- CIF

Langue : ANGLAIS