# Developing the Creative Abilities of Children with Learning Differences in Rural, Low‐Resource Settings in Africa: A Case Series Study

## TL;DR

A visual arts program called Create2Grow helped improve creativity and performance in children with learning differences in rural Africa.

## Contribution

Create2Grow is a novel, community-based intervention that effectively supports creative development in children with learning differences in low-resource settings.

## Key findings

- The intervention showed large clinical effects on caregiver-rated and clinician-rated performance and creativity scores.
- Create2Grow was highly acceptable, practical, and in demand for the target group.
- Low attrition rates indicated the program's feasibility in local schools within the community.

## Abstract

Creative ability is an important outcome of developmental support programs, as it helps to lay the foundation for better long‐term participation and well‐being. Children with learning differences risk underdeveloping this potential, especially those in rural, low‐resource African settings.

This study aimed to determine the potential outcomes of Create2Grow, a new community‐based occupational therapy visual arts group intervention for children aged 8 to 12 years with mild to moderate neurodevelopmental disorders, using a case series research design with eight children recruited via convenience sampling.

The intervention had a large clinical effect on participants’ caregiver‐rated Canadian Occupational Performance Measure scores (d = 1.5) and clinician‐rated Creative Participation Assessment scores (d = 1.76) from pre‐ to post‐intervention. Create2Grow was also rated as highly in demand, acceptable, and practical for the target group. Low study attrition rates showed that the intervention could be effectively implemented at a local school within the community.

Create2Grow is a promising solution to promoting the creative ability of children with learning differences in rural, low‐resource settings in Africa.

Create2Grow, an eight‐week community‐based occupational therapy visual art group intervention, demonstrated large improvements in occupational performance and creative participation among children with mild to moderate learning differences and was feasible to implement in a rural, low‐resource African setting.