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Health-Related Quality of Life and its Correlates in Children with Cerebral Palsy: An Exploratory Study

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Abstract

Recent research has shown a growing interest in the assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with chronic health conditions as a subjective health outcome. However, HRQol in the pediatric population with cerebral palsy (CP) is still understudied, with scarce research assessing self-reported HRQoL and its links with other psychological variables. The present research examined self-reported HRQoL in 64 Portuguese children and adolescents with CP. Results showed that higher HRQoL (generic and specific to chronic health conditions) was significantly related to lower levels of psychopathological symptoms, higher levels of prosocial behavior and a lower need for social activities. Gender moderated the link between prosocial behavior and HRQoL (specific to chronic conditions), which was significant for girls but not for boys. Finally, the need for social activities mediated the associations between psychopathology symptoms and both measures of HRQoL.

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Notes

  1. The term children was chosen when referring to this study’s sample which includes both children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carla Crespo, Carlos Carona & Maria Cristina Canavarro

  2. Institute of Cognitive Psychology - Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo Apartado 6153, Coimbra, 3001–802, Portugal

    Roberta Frontini

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  1. Roberta Frontini
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Correspondence to Roberta Frontini.

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PEst-OE/PSI/UI0192/2011 - Projecto Estratégico - Instituto de Psicologia Cognitiva, Desenvolvimento Vocacional e Social (FPCE/UC) - 2011–2012

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Frontini, R., Crespo, C., Carona, C. et al. Health-Related Quality of Life and its Correlates in Children with Cerebral Palsy: An Exploratory Study. J Dev Phys Disabil 24, 181–196 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-011-9265-x

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