Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the association between the stress levels of parents of children with cerebral palsy and the degree of functional impairment of their children, as well as to explore socio-demographic variables that may potentiate the effects of the motor impairment degree generating high or low/standard stress levels in 92 parents of children with cerebral palsy treated at a federal public hospital of reference in the state of Pará. The instruments used were the Socio-demographic Inventory (ISD), the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and the Parenting Stress Index-short form (PSI/SF). Analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0. The results showed a greater number of stressed parents in the Difficult Child subscale and a significant relation between the children classified with severe motor impairment and the manifestation of parenting stress. This research showed an approximate age range of children with cerebral palsy in both stressed and little stressed parent groups, but the presence of younger stressed parents in the group was observed. On the other hand, in the group of little stressed parents, a significant aspect found was the prolonged time of union of thecouple at the time of birth of the child with cerebral palsy. The findings of this study intend to contribute to the increase of research about the relation between stress in parents of children with cerebral palsy and the motor function of their children, a theme poorly addressed in national and international research.
Highlights
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is presented as a non-progressive disorder of motor and/or cognitive impairment
This study aimed to investigate the association between the stress levels of parents of children with cerebral palsy and the degree of functional impairment of their children, as well as to explore socio-demographic variables that may potentiate the effects of the motor impairment degree generating high or low/standard stress levels in 92 parents of children with cerebral palsy treated at a federal public hospital of reference in the state of Pará
The results showed a greater number of stressed parents in the Difficult Child subscale and a significant relation between the children classified with severe motor impairment and the manifestation of parenting stress
Summary
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is presented as a non-progressive disorder of motor and/or cognitive impairment. With the confirmation of CP diagnosis, children need to be subjected to various forms of assessment depending on the variable pattern of cerebral palsy, but it is known that once observed abnormal muscle tone (e.g., hypertension, hypotonia), and diagnosed the movement disorders (spasticity, ataxia, dystonia, athetosis), the cerebral palsy can be classified into four types, according to the European classification of cerebral palsy: (a) spastic type, characterized by the presence of at least two of the following: Abnormal patterns of posture and/or movement, increased muscle tone (not necessarily constant), pathological reflexes, hyperreflexia and/or pyramidal signs; (b) ataxic type, characterized by abnormal patterns of posture and/or movement, loss of coordination, and change in force, rhythm and metria of movement; (c) dyskinetic type, characterized by abnormal patterns of posture and/or involuntary, uncontrolled, recurrent and occasionally stereotyped movements (Cans, 2000). In addition to the investigation of the motor impairment, the functional assessment is another relevant aspect of clinical practice and scientific research involving children with CP. The verification of functionality allows multidisciplinary teams to measure several clinical types and observed changes, ensuring accurate detection of the child’s motor potential, leading to greater therapeutic efficacy (Oliveira et al, 2010; Zonta, Junior, & Helena, 2011)
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