Impact of aquatic programmes on adolescents with cerebral palsy

✍ Scribed by Genevieve Dorval; Sylvie Tetreault; Chantal Caron

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 109 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0966-7903
• DOI: 10.1002/oti.39

✦ Synopsis

This research evaluates the impact of two aquatic programmes (conventional and experimental) on self-esteem and functional independence of 20 adolescents with cerebral palsy. Impact was examined through statistical analyses of data collected at baseline (T 1 ), post-test (T 2 ) and nine months after the end of aquatic programmes (T 3 ). Significant relationships were found between self-esteem, functional independence and aquatic activities. The results confirm the potential value of aquatic programmes to improve the socio-emotional development and functional independence of this population. Despite the positive increase of the subjects' scores, the findings suggest that the experimental aquatic programme was not sufficiently powerful to be significantly different from the conventional program, in terms of gains in self-esteem and functional independence. The implications of these findings and the usefulness of aquatic activities as meaningful therapy for adolescents with cerebral palsy are discussed. Directions for future studies are also proposed.