Systematic review of self-concept measures for primary school aged children with cerebral palsy.
No self-concept measure is yet proven reliable for kids with CP, so use current tools only as tentative screeners.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kuan and colleagues hunted for a self-concept test that works for 8- to young learners kids with cerebral palsy. They screened every English-language paper that measured how these children see themselves. After reading 3,000 titles, only 11 studies gave any psychometric data at all.
What they found
None of the tools had solid proof of reliability or validity for kids with CP. The two most common scales—Self-Description Questionnaire-I and Self-Perception Profile for Children—look promising, but the evidence is still too thin for confident use.
How this fits with other research
Matson et al. (2009) said the same thing about social-skills tests: many child measures have weak psychometric legs. Both reviews tell you to check the numbers before you trust the score.
Lin et al. (2012) give happier news for motor skills. They show the PMAL has clear cut-offs for real change in CP. Self-concept tools just are not there yet.
Coceski et al. (2021) remind us that even IQ tests need motor-free versions for CP. The pattern is clear: standard kid tests often fail when cerebral palsy enters the room.
Why it matters
If you want to track self-esteem in a child with CP, you have to treat the SDQ-I or SPPC as rough screeners only. Watch for floor effects, read the items aloud if motor writing is slow, and pair the scale with parent or teacher interviews until better tools arrive.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study involved a systematic review aimed to identify self-concept measures that provided published psychometrics for primary school aged children (8-12 years) with cerebral palsy (CP). Six electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES and Web of Science) were searched to identify assessments that (1) measured self-concept; (2) in children aged 8-12 years; (3) with CP; (4) with psychometrics available. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to evaluate psychometric properties and the CanChild Outcome Measure Rating Form was used to evaluate clinical utility. Search yielded 271 papers, of which five met inclusion criteria. These papers reported five measures of self-concept with psychometric properties for the target population: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Index, Self-Description Questionnaire-I, Self-Perception Profile for Children (original) and two separate modifications of the Self-Perception Profile for Children. Currently, no self-concept measures published in English had sufficient psychometric data for children with CP. The Self-Description Questionnaire-I and the Self-Perception Profile for Children were promising options. Further research is required (a) to determine self-concept construct components important for children with CP and (b) to examine the relative strength, validity, reliability and clinical utility of self-concept measures for the target population.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.07.023