Social and psychological aspects of readiness of parents for the involvement of children with cerebral palsy in adaptive physical education classes

Abstract

Introduction. Participation in the sports movement is an effective tool for the full-fledged socialization of people with disabilities. In this regard, one of the socially significant tasks of the state is to ensure the availability of conditions for practicing various sports and adaptive physical culture (APhC) for people with disabilities. Materials and methods. To study the socio-psychological readiness of the family to include a disabled child in APhC classes, a survey was conducted on 67 parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP). CP patients were observed at the National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health of the Ministry of Health of Russia in 2019-2020. The criteria for the inclusion of participants in the group of subjects were the informed consent of the parents, the presence of medical indications, and the absence of contraindications for the child to engage in APhC training. Results. There is presented objective data indicating a positive attitude of respondents to APhC as one of the most effective tools for the development of movements in children. The factors that determine the socio-psychological readiness of parents for this type of rehabilitation are awareness of the child’s health, emotional stability and focus on achieving positive results in the child’s socialization, sufficient adherence to treatment. Socio-psychological factors reducing the likelihood of including children in APhC classes include a pessimistic assessment of the child’s health and social prospects, insufficient awareness of the positive impact of APhC classes on the physical development of a CP child, an incomplete awareness of the institutions in which this type of assistance can be obtained, the place of residence, the low physical activity of parents. Conclusion. The study of the socio-psychological profiles of parents with different motivations for the participation of a CP child in APhC classes proves the need for a differentiated approach to the management of psychological and pedagogical work with parents.