Discriminant validity of social and functional performance protocol to children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Cerebral Palsy (CP) encompasses a group of permanent disorders of movement and posture development, attributed to non-progressive damage that occurs during fetal development or in the infant brain. As consequences to the motor skills, there can occur impairments in daily life abilities, interfering in independent ambulation, hygiene, and clothing care, but also in social, behavioral, and cognitive activities, causing a negative impact on the health and welfare of the child and its family. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) is a classification system on functioning and disability and, because it is an extensive and complex classification, there is the possibility of grouping the more relevant codes for distinctive disorders forming the Core Sets. Based upon this idea an instrument named Protocolo de desempenho Social e Funcional de criancas com Paralisia Cerebral (DFS-PC) (Functional and Social Performance Evaluation Protocol for Children with Cerebral Palsy) was created. Objective: To evaluate the discriminant validity of the DFS-PC protocol to verify whether it is sensitive to the functional performance and social participation of cerebral palsy children when compared to typical development children. Method: It consisted in the application of the Functional and Social Performance Evaluation Protocol for Children with Cerebral Palsy (DFS-PC) to the caregivers of CP children and children with typical development. Results: The DFS-PC was considered sensitive to detect differences between CP children and children with typical development, presenting significant differences in 12 of the 16 domains when using the Mann-Whitney Test. Conclusion: This protocol is considered valid and suitable for use within the population of children with cerebral palsy