| dc.description.abstract |
Toys are integral ingredients in the lives of children. Contrasting assistive devices, they enable and empower them. This study attempts to develop and determine a toy index based on identified parameters as reported by parent respondents. The index was intended to serve as contemporary benchmarks for targeted children with or without developmental disabilities. Using a cross sectional exploratory survey design, a sample of 267 children including 158 boys (Mean Age: 3.89; SD: 1.32) and 109 girls (Mean Age: 4.13; SD: 1.48) distributed across gender and age groups below six years was drawn from varied socio-demographic backgrounds. Both, formal and informal open-ended data elicitation tools, such as, exploratory interview with significant others, field visit and observations, verbatim recording of informant responses was undertaken. The obtained data was codified, categorized, compiled, collated and analyzed across parameters, such as, ownership, availability, usage and expenditure incurred on toys per child. Results show an overall impoverished mean toy index of 8.60 (SD: 4.14) with varying metrics across age, gender, area of residence, and types of developmental disabilities especially against typical children taken as standard comparison group. Boys than girls show greater ownership and parents spend more money on toys for them as also children from urban than those from rural areas secure higher toy index. The findings highlight the need to provide toys and encourage their use as mandated by child rights rather than as an option for convenience. |
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