Purpose: To describe the effect of family demographics on the amount and type of family involvement in physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy. Subjects: 44 English speaking parents of children, eight years of age and younger, with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, attending physical therapy in Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach counties, Florida. Methods: Self designed surveys, designed to obtain information on children and parent demographics and the type and amount of family involvement in physical therapy, were distributed to the parents at various locations that offered pediatric physical therapy. Results: Statistical significance could not be proven due to the small population size. However, patterns in the data were revealed. Conclusion: Child demographics linked to family involvement included the type of cerebral palsy, gender, age, movement ability, and number of siblings. Income, total hours worked per week, marital status, and primary care givers were family demographics related to family participation in the children's physical therapy. The information obtained will enable physical therapists to identify demographics linked to low family involvement. They can adjust their methods accordingly to ensure that optimal goals can be achieved.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 1998 |
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| Original language | English |
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