Activity Preferences of School-Age Children with Cerebral Palsy: Comparison with Healthy Peers

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate physically disabled children of 6–10 years of age with cerebral palsy (CP) with regard to functional independence levels and preferences of activity; and to compare these characteristics with those of their healthy peers, and also to highlight the relationship of the mothers’ depression level with the preferences of activity.
METHODS: Eighty children with CP and 80 healthy ones were enrolled to the study together with their mothers. The main research group (Group A) consists of equal numbers of boys and girls in 6–8 and 9–10 years of age, a total of 80 children with CP, while Group C (control) is composed of equal numbers of age-and sex-matched healthy children. Sociodemographic data and Preferences for Activities of Children measures were collected from all children, whereas Pediatric Functional Independence Measurement were applied to children with CP, and their mothers were evaluated through Beck Depression Inventory.
RESULTS: Among the children with CP, 47 were diplegic, 12 triplegic, 15 quadriplegic, one had total, and five had mixed type CP. Healthy children had higher levels of functional independence, and higher frequency of participation in the activities. Both groups of children mostly preferred to participate individual developmental activities and least in social-based activities. Mothers of children with CP had higher depression scores when compared to those of healthy children and depression scores of the mothers are inversely proportional to the total preference of participation in the activities in children with CP (p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Functional independence level and depression status of mothers of children with CP had a significant repressive effect on preferences of participation in activities.