title: Theory of mind, emotional and social functioning, and motor severity in children and adolescents with dystonic cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether children and adolescents with dystonic cerebral palsy (CP) present with emotional and social difficulties along side motor limitations.
  Twenty-two verbal and nonverbal children and adolescents with dystonic CP were compared with a normative sample of twenty children and adolescents on measures of theory of mind (ToM), emotion regulation (ER), and social difficulties (SD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher social and emotional difficulties were found in the dystonic CP group compared to the control group. Nonverbal participants with dystonic CP were found to present with greater social impairment and lower ToM ability than their verbal counterparts. Emotional regulation and hyperactivity and attentional difficulties (HAD) significantly predicted ToM ability and social difficulties. Lower Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level and IQ also contributed to differences in ToM ability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings support the need for greater attention to the emotional health and social development of children/adolescents with dystonic CP, along with assessments of motor difficulties in the planning and implementation of interventions and individual care plans. Further research is needed to explore links between motor disorder and mental state understanding in this clinical group.
authors.affiliation: Complex Motor Disorders Service, Children's Neurosciences, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. Electronic address: dolapo.adegboye@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dolapo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adegboye
authors.affiliation: University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sterr
authors.affiliation: Complex Motor Disorders Service, Children's Neurosciences, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Complex Motor Disorders Service, Children's Neurosciences, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. Electronic address: tamsin.owen@gstt.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Tamsin J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Emotion regulation; Social difficulties; Theory of mind