The relationship between quality of life and functioning for children with cerebral palsy

A. Shelly, E. Davis*, E. Waters, A. Mackinnon, D. Reddihough, R. Boyd, S. Reid, H. K. Graham

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    90 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Given that quality of life (QOL) is commonly confused with functioning, the aim of this study was to examine the association between functioning and QOL domains for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Two hundred and five parents of children aged 4 to 12 years with CP and 53 children aged 9 to 12 years with CP, completed the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children. Children were distributed reasonably evenly between sex (male, 54.6%) and Gross Motor Function Classification System levels (I 17.8%, II 28.3%, III 14.1%, IV 11.2%, and V 27.3%). For parent proxy-report, all domains of QOL were significantly associated with functioning level except access to services. For child self-report, feelings about functioning, participation and physical health, and pain and feelings about disability, were significantly associated with functioning level. Physical type domains of QOL accounted for more of the variance in functioning than psychosocial type domains. Children with CP have the potential to report a high psychosocial QOL score even if they have poor functioning.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)199-203
    Number of pages5
    JournalDevelopmental Medicine and Child Neurology
    Volume50
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Mar 2008

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