Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how participation of children with cerebral palsy (CP)
varied with their environment. DESIGN: Home visits to children. Administration of
Assessment of Life Habits and European Child Environment Questionnaires.
Structural equation modeling of putative associations between specific domains of
participation and environment, while allowing for severity of child's impairments
and pain. SETTING: European regions with population-based registries of children
with CP. PARTICIPANTS: Children (n=1174) aged 8 to 12 years were randomly
selected from 8 population-based registries of children with CP in 6 European
countries. Of these, 743 (63%) agreed to participate; 1 further region recruited
75 children from multiple sources. Thus, there were 818 children in the study.
INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Participation in life
situations. RESULTS: For the hypothesized associations, the models confirmed that
higher participation was associated with better availability of environmental
items. Higher participation in daily activities-mealtimes, health hygiene,
personal care, and home life-was significantly associated with a better physical
environment at home (P<.01). Mobility was associated with transport and physical
environment in the community. Participation in social roles (responsibilities,
relationships, recreation) was associated with attitudes of classmates and social
support at home. School participation was associated with attitudes of teachers
and therapists. Environment explained between 14% and 52% of the variation in
participation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirmed the social model of
disability. The physical, social, and attitudinal environment of disabled
children influences their participation in everyday activities and social roles.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS