Influence of the Participation in the Self-Care Activities on the Quality of Life of the School Going Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Aim of the study: The overall aim of the study is to find out the influence of the participation in the self-care activities on the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy. Objectives of the study: To investigate the aim of the study there have three objectives: to find out the quality of life of the children with CP; to find out the participation of the self-care activities of the children with CP and to investigate whether QOL is influenced by the participation of the self-care activities.

Methodology: Quantitative methodology was used to conduct this study. Participants for this study were the mother of the children with cerebral palsy child who are continuing their schooling. For collecting data 60 mothers were selected conveniently from these schools. Two structured standardized questionnaire with some demographic and socio-economic information was used to investigate the objectives of the study. Result: Among the 60 children with CP, 58% were boys and 42% was girls. Physical well-being was the lowest in score (mean- 42.15) from different dimension of the QOL and family and social contact was highest in mean score which are respectively 68.02 and 62.7. Most of children like the company of parent and feel happy to stay at home. Among the 25 girls children with Cerebral Palsy 16 (64%) was scored as poor (0-5) and 9 (36%) was scored as good (5.1-10). Otherwise, among the 35 boys children with cerebral palsy 27 (77.1%) children was scored as poor (0 -5) and 8 (22.9%) children was scored as good (5.1 -10). And in case of the correlation between the participation in the self-care activities and QOL, there have a strong and significant positive correlation between the dimensions of QOL (self-esteem, social contact and school) with the participation of the self- care activities. This study has also shows the correlation between the dimension of the QOL (physical well-being, emotional well- being, long term illness) and the participation of the self- care activities which was not always in positive direction.