title: The effectiveness of a physical activity stimulation programme for children with cerebral palsy on social participation, self-perception and quality of life: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of a six-month physical activity stimulation programme on social participation, self-perception and quality of life in children with cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicentre randomized controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessments and intention-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric physiotherapy practices, special schools for children with a disability, and the child's own home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine children with spastic cerebral palsy (28 male), aged 7-13 years, able to walk with and without walking aids.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention group followed a six-month physical activity stimulation programme involving counselling through motivational interviewing, home-based physiotherapy and four months of fitness training. The control group continued regular paediatric physiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes included social participation in domestic life, social participation in recreation and leisure (Life-Habits for Children questionnaire and Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment questionnaire), self-perception (Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children) and parent-reported quality of life (Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire). Assessments were performed at baseline, at six months (except quality of life) and at twelve months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intervention resulted in a positive effect on social participation in domestic life at twelve months (mean between-group difference = 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.1 to 1.7 [1-10 scale], P = 0.03), but not at six months. No significant effects were found for social participation in recreation and leisure, self-perception at six months and twelve months or for quality of life at twelve months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of counselling, home-based physiotherapy and fitness training was not effective in improving social participation in recreation and leisure, self-perception or quality of life, but did show a potential for improving social participation in domestic life over the longer term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands l.vanwely@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Leontien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Wely
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Astrid Cj
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Balemans
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jules G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annet J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dallmeijer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009426:Netherlands; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D058992:Social Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
keywords: Cerebral palsy; directive counselling; exercise therapy; home; motor activity; quality of life; social participation