March 2020 (second edition)

Assessment is defined as:

A process of collecting and interpreting information about people’s functioning and environments, using observation, testing and measurement in order to inform decision-making and to monitor change (Consensus definition from the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE, 2004).

The Creative Participation Assessment 

• The Creative Participation Assessment tool (CPA) was developed by Dain van der Reyden, a South African occupational therapist, and colleagues.
• The Creative Participation Assessment tool is published by van der Reyden et al (2019), thus copyright is held by the publisher: The Vona & Marie du Toit Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa. This version of the CPA replaces any previous versions.
• As asserted in van der Reyden et al (2019), the CPA “should not be used by any person who is not fully converse with the Model, particularly the components, levels and phases of creative ability. Occupational therapists, occupational theray support workers and students should act in accordance with their Code of Ethics and professional conduct, ensuring they do not undertake practices for which they lack competence” (van der Reyden & Sherwood, 2019, p.182). Information on approved training is available by contacting louisejeffries@vdtmocaf-uk.com
• The CPA tool consists of short descriptors as prompts regarding an aspect of creative ability. It is presented in a table format with descriptors of different aspects of creative ability manifested at each level of creative ability. “The brevity of the descriptors assumes that the user has an adequate understanding of the components and the levels of creative ability” (van der Reyden & Sherwood, 2019, p182).
• The CPA is not an assessment in itself, but a tool for recording and analyzing assessment findings in order to identify an individual’s level of creative ability and clinically reason how the components of creative ability are influencing an individual’s performance.
• Several versions of the CPA tool have emerged over the years. The 2019 publication is a slightly adapted version of the CPA that had its psychometric properties tested by Casteleijn and Smit (2002) who established that the CPA is valid and reliable. The 2019 version has replaced abbreviations with full terms. Amendments have been made to the descriptors in the level of Active Participation and the level of Competitive Participation have been removed. These levels of creative ability were not used by therapists in the Casteleijn and Smit (2002) study therefore amendments should not affect the tool’s validity and reliability.

Accessing the Creative Participation Assessment form

• The 2019 version of the CPA form is available in the first full text on the model: van der Reyden D, Casteleijn D, Sherwood W, de Witt P (2019) The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: Origins Constructs, Principles and Application in Occupational Therapy. Vona & Marie du Toit Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa.

The VdTMoCA Foundation UK recommends the following criteria for use of the CPA form

• State registered occupational therapist
• Trained by Wendy Sherwood of ICAN in the VdTMoCA (2 or 3 day training, either face-to-face, online or a combination).
• Alternatively trained by a knowledgeable clinician within clinical practice who has a sound understanding of the Model and the OT receives supervision to ensure accuracy when completing the CPA form.
• Maintained adequate knowledge of the components of creative ability, levels of creative ability and the assessment of creative ability in order to complete the form competently.

Recommendations

1.         Assessment of creative ability

1.1 Assessment of creative ability should be undertaken as per the guidance provided by van der Reyden et al (2019). These assessments may be combined with assessments not specific to, but compatible with the VdTMoCA e.g., assessments provided by compatible occupational therapy models; sensory, cognitive, motor assessments.

1.2 Identification of a client's overall level of creative ability should be established by correct use of the CPA tool, and by analysing the results of assessment of creative ability across all four occupational performance areas as described by van der Reyden et al (2019).

2.         Use of the Creative Participation Assessment tool.

2.1 The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability Foundation (UK) encourages the use of the CPA tool to record assessment findings and to identify a client’s level of creative ability.

2.2 This tool should be used following prescribed procedures. Without accruing data following these procedures to identify the level of creative ability, intervention according to the VdTMoCA is likely to be problematic and lack clear clinical reasoning and theoretical justification.  If interventions are not correctly matched to the client's level of creative ability, their potential outcomes may be compromised, reducing cost efficiency and effectiveness of the service.

2.3 The conditions/situations/activities producing the assessment results recorded on the CPA should be made clear on the form.  There is not a designated section for this information on the form, but the therapist should state the information according to where they consider it to be best placed.

2.4 The CPA should only be completed by occupational therapists, although occupational therapy assistants or other disciplines may provide information to inform its completion.

2.5 Improved use of the CPA requires the routine inclusion of training materials for students, greater availability of training for practitioners and support from managers.

2.6  Training in the use of an assessment recording tool can be seen as a valid part of continuing professional and service development, if it is going to meet the requirements of the service or the needs of the service user.

The CPA is a tested tool, subject to copyright and intelllectual property law. The tool should not be altered in any way without expressed permission of Dain van der Reyden, who can be contacted via louisejeffries@vdtmocaf-uk.com. 

Recommended reading

Casteleijn D & Smit C (2002) Psychometric properties of the Creative Participation Assessment. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy. 3 (1) P6-11.

de Witt P (2014) Creative ability: a model for individual and group therapy for clients with psychosocial dysfunction IN R. Crouch, V. Alers (2014) Occupational Therapy in Psychiatry and Mental Health. 5th edition. London: Wiley Publishers.

Hosier B, O’Connell J, Tebbutt L (2011) Occupational Therapy Input for Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities in Secure Settings, IN E. Gralton (2011) (Ed) Forensic issues in Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities.  London: Jessica Kingsley.

Sherwood, W (2017) The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: A practical guide to occupational therapy for people with learning disabilities. London: Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability Foundation (UK).

Sherwood W, White B, Wilson S (2015) The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: a practical guide for acute mental health occupational therapy practice.  London: Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability Foundation (UK).

Van der Reyden D, Casteleijn D, Sherwood W, de Witt P (2019) The Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: Origins, Constructs, Principles and Application in Occupational Therapy.  Vona & Marie du Toit Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa.

Assessment position statement