Background: Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) often face significant challenges that affect their mental health and occupational balance. While early intervention services traditionally focus on child development, the occupational needs and well-being of parents remain underexplored. The EQo-Mental project aims to examine the association between parental mental health, occupational balance, and meaningful activity engagement, and to co-develop family-centred strategies that promote well-being in early intervention contexts. Methods: This sequential mixed-methods study includes two phases. The quantitative phase will involve approximately 700 parents of children aged 0–6 years attending early intervention centres in Alicante, Spain. This phase comprises two components: (1) the psychometric validation of the Spanish versions of two occupational measures—the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ-E) and the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS)—and (2) a cross-sectional analysis examining associations between occupational and mental health outcomes. Participants will complete a sociodemographic questionnaire along with validated self-administered instruments assessing occupational balance, meaningful activity engagement, stress, anxiety, depression, and psychological well-being. In the qualitative phase, participatory sessions and focus groups will be conducted with a subsample of parents and key stakeholders to explore perceived occupational and mental health needs and to co-design actionable strategies for improving occupational balance and family well-being. Participant recruitment began in November 2023 and is ongoing; data collection is expected to be completed by October 2025. Analyses: Psychometric analyses will first be conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the OBQ-E and EMAS. Next, descriptive analyses and multiple regression models adjusted for potential confounders will be used to explore associations between occupational and mental health variables. Phase 2 consists of a participatory-action research process, including discussion groups and a multi-stakeholder focus group. Qualitative data will be analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Outcomes: Findings from EQo-Mental will inform the design of evidence-based, family-centred strategies that support occupational balance, parental well-being, and engagement in meaningful activities. By addressing the occupational needs of parents, the project seeks to foster more resilient families and strengthen early intervention services through an inclusive, occupation-focused approach.

This study explored the association between parental employment status and education level and the prevalence of sensory reactivity (SR) in population-based sample of school-aged children. SR was assessed in 495 children using the parent-reported Short Sensory Profile (SSP) questionnaire. Children with SR were identified based on probable or definitive differences in total SSP and subscales. Association between parental employment and education level were explored using multiple Poisson regression models with robust variance, adjusted for potential confounders. The main findings showed that a mother’s unemployment status was associated with higher prevalence of SR for the taste/smell sensitivity subscale (PR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.08–2.56), and the low energy/weak (PR = 2.18, 95%CI: 1.31–3.49) subscale. A lower education level of a father was also associated with a higher prevalence of sensory problems on the tactile sensitivity subscale (PR_{primary education} = 2.68, 95%CI: 1.27–5.61; PR_{secondary education} = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.004–3.66) and the low energy/weak subscale (PR_{secondary education} = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.02–3.73). This study underscores the impact of parental employment and education on SR in school-aged children, offering insights for interventions and support systems aimed at improving their sensory functioning and overall well-being.

Aim: To identify the outcomes reported in published studies of intervention approaches used with non‐degenerative childhood hyperkinetic movement disorders, including dystonia, dyskinesia, hypertonia, athetosis, chorea, cerebral palsy, involuntary movement, and kernicterus, and map them to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Method: This was a scoping review that used the Arksey and O′Malley's framework. Medline, CINAHL plus, and EMBASE were searched from 2001 (when the ICF was approved for use by the World Health Assembly) to February 2025. Data were extracted and mapped to the ICF framework. Results: A total of 294 studies included 159 surgical (e.g. deep brain stimulation, intrathecal baclofen pump), 81 pharmacological (e.g. levodopa, trihexyphenidyl, toxin injections), 51 non‐pharmacological and non‐surgical studies, and three studies reporting outcomes longitudinally. Neuromodulation, particularly deep brain stimulation, was reported in 122 studies. Over half of the non‐pharmacological/non‐surgical studies described the management of the underlying impairments. Outcomes were reported as measured objectively 650 times with 209 unique tools. The most evaluated ICF domain was body functions and structures (375 of 635, 59%), followed by activity (165 of 635, 26%), and participation (37 of 635, 5.8%). The least assessed domains were quality of life (28 of 635, 0.04%), goals (25 of 635, 0.04%), and environment (5 of 635, 0.007%). Interpretation: The major focus of assessment of interventions for children with non‐degenerative hyperkinetic movement disorders is on body structure and function. The voices of children remain unheard across all studies, with a lack of individualized measurement. Partnering with children to understand what meaningful outcomes mean to them will go a long way to address this gap.