Psychological Problems in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Its Relationship with Health-Related Quality of Life

Year 2025, Issue: 25, 329 - 342, 29.04.2025

Hasan Bingöl , Dilan Demirtaş Karaoba

https://doi.org/10.38079/igusabder.1528529

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the association between psychological problems and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) parameters in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Method: A convenience sample size of 68 children with CP (mean age: 6.82 years and standard deviation: 1.8; 31 males and 37 females) were recruited in the study. Parent-reported versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life were used to detect the presence of psychological symptoms and HRQOL outcomes in children with CP. Psychological symptoms included emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, and prosocial behavior.
Results: Children with hemiplegic, diplegic, and ataxic CP were mostly found to be in scoring band of close to average on SDQ-Total difficulties Scale (TDS) (SDQ-TDS<14), whereas those with quadriplegic and dyskinetic CP were in very high scoring band (SDQ-TDS >20) on the SDQ-TDS. In terms of association, there were moderate to strong associations between scores for psychological symptoms and HRQOL (r=-0.45 to 0.860).
Conclusion: The results suggest that the nature and extent of mental health problems vary among CP subtypes, with children with tetraplegic and dyskinetic CP more likely to experience mental health symptoms. Given the potential benefits of physical activity on both HRQOL outcomes and psychological mental symptoms, it is essential to encourage children with CP to participate in more physical activities.

Keywords

Cerebral palsy, mental health, psychological symptom, health-related quality of life

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval to carry out to the current study was obtained from the Ethical Board for Non-Interventional Scientific Research at Bingöl University (Date: 18.07.2024 No: 24714).

Thanks

The study authors would like to thank to the participating children and their families/primary caregivers for their devotion to the data collection and assessment process, because without their help we could not have completed this study.

Serebral Palsi’li Çocuklarda Psikolojik Problemler ve Bunun Sağlıkla İlişkili Yaşam Kalitesiyle ile İlişkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Serebral palsili (SP) çocuklarda psikolojik sorunlar ile sağlıkla ilişkili yaşam kalitesi (HRQOL) parametreleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmak.
Yöntem: 68 SP’li çocuktan oluşan uygun büyüklükte bir örneklem çalışmaya dahil edildi (ortalama yaş: 6,82 yıl ve standart sapma: 1,8; 31 erkek ve 37 kız). Aile bildirimli Güçler ve Güçlükler Anketi (GGA) ve Serebal Palsi Yaşam Kalitesi (SPYK) SP’li çocuklarda sırasıyla psikolojik semptomların varlığını ve SİYK sonuçlarını belirlemek için kullanıldı. Psikolojik semptomlar, duygusal semptomları, davranışsal problemleri, hiperaktivite/dikkatsizlik, akran sorunları ve sosyal davranışsal sorunları içermekteydi.
Bulgular: Hemiplejik, diplejik ve ataksik SP’ li çocuklar çoğunlukla GGA-Toplam Zorluklar Skala (TZS)’da ortalamaya yakın skorlama bandında yer alırken (GGA-TZS<14), kuadriplejik ve diskinetik SP’li çocuklar GGA-TZS’de çok yüksek skorlama bandında yer almışlardır (GGA-TZS>20). Karşılaştırma açısından, psikolojik semptomlar ve SİYK skorları arasında orta-güçlü ilişkiler bulunmuştur (r=-0.45 ila 0.860).
Sonuç: Sonuçlar, ruh sağlığı sorunları türlerinin ve ciddiyet düzeylerinin SP alt tipleri arasında farklılık sergilediğini ve kuadriplejik ve diskinetik SP'li çocukların ruh sağlığı semptomları yaşama olasılığının daha yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Fiziksel aktivitenin hem SİYK sonuçları hem de ruh sağlığı semptomları üzerindeki potansiyel faydaları göz önüne alındığında, SP’li çocukları daha fazla fiziksel aktiviteye katılmaya teşvik etmek önemlidir.

Keywords

Serebral Palsi, ruh sağlığı, psikolojik semptom, sağlıkla ilişkili yaşam kalitesi

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