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Are families with adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy the same as other families?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2001

Joyce Magill-Evans
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Johanna Darrah
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Kerrie Pain
Affiliation:
Calgary Regional Health Authority, Calgary, Canada.
Robin Adkins
Affiliation:
Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Canada.
Marianne Kratochvil
Affiliation:
Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Canada.
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Abstract

This study compared adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and their families to adolescents without physical disabilities and their families as the child enters and leaves adolescence (age ranges 13 to 15 years and 19 to 23 years). Families of 90 individuals with CP (42 females, 48 males) and 75 individuals without physical disabilities (34 females, 41 males) participated. They completed the Family Assessment Device, Life Situation Survey, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Future Questionnaire. There were few differences in family functioning, life satisfaction, or perceived social support between the groups. Expectations of young adults with CP and parents of both adolescents and young adults regarding future independence and success were lower than the expectations of the control group. While the group results emphasize similarities between families during the two stages of adolescence, individual families and individual family members report specific challenges.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© 2001 Mac Keith Press

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