Teenage predictors of participation of adults with cerebral palsy in domestic life and interpersonal relationships: A 13-year follow-up study.
Teens with CP who move less, join little, face over-protective parents, or show avoidant traits become adults who stay on the sidelines of home and social life.
01Research in Context
What this study did
van Wely et al. (2020) tracked the same group of teens with cerebral palsy for 13 years. They looked at how teen traits shaped adult participation at home and in relationships.
The team measured teenage participation, gross-motor skill, parenting style, and personality. Years later they checked how often these now-adults joined chores, visits, and social events.
What they found
Adults who had lower teen participation, weaker motor skills, over-protective parents, or avoidant personalities joined fewer home and social activities later.
The four teen signs together gave a clear early warning. Clinicians can spot risk long before the client leaves high school.
How this fits with other research
Majnemer et al. (2015) saw leisure drop as kids with CP became teens. Leontien’s team shows the slide keeps going—teen levels forecast adult domestic life, not just hobbies.
Shikako-Dratsch et al. (2013) found that asking teens what they like predicts leisure better than motor scores. Leontien adds that motor capacity still matters for long-term home and relationship participation.
McIntyre et al. (2017) linked better GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS scores to more child participation. Leontien confirms gross-motor skill stays important into adulthood, but adds parenting style and personality as extra predictors.
Why it matters
You can screen at 16, not 30. Note the teen’s current activity level, GMFCS score, parent responses, and social confidence. Build plans that boost independence, coach parents to step back, and teach coping skills. Early action can lift adult participation in cooking, visiting friends, and dating.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) may experience problems with participation in domestic life and interpersonal relationships. AIMS: To identify teenage predictors of adult participation in domestic life and interpersonal relationships. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This 13-year follow-up of the PERRIN 16-24 cohort included 53 adults with CP without intellectual disability [current age 31.7 (SD = 1.4) years]. Participation performance was assessed as attendance (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales), and difficulty/assistance with participation (Life Habits questionnaire). 56 teenage factors were categorized in ICF components. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses explored predictors of participation. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Lower gross motor capacity, following special education, having protective parents and a rigid personality predicted less participation in domestic life. Having rejective parents, receiving little daily support, having a socially avoidant personality or coping style and the male gender predicted less participation in interpersonal relationships. Lower activity and participation levels as a teenager predicted less participation in both domestic life and interpersonal relationships of adults with CP. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Environmental and personal factors, gross motor capacity and teenage participation were predictors of participation of adults with CP. These factors help identify subgroups at risk for suboptimal adult participation and provide targets for rehabilitation.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2020 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2019.103510