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Locus of Control, Perceived Parenting Style, and Anxiety in Children with Cerebral Palsy

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Abstract

In this study we examined interrelations among locus of control (LOC), disease severity, anxiety, and parenting style (PS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Thirty children with CP and their 30 healthy siblings completed self-report measures of LOC, anxiety, and perceived PS of the mother. A neurological assessment determined severity of CP. Children with CP, regardless of severity, did not differ from their siblings in LOC, anxiety, or perceived PS. Multiple-regression analyses showed that LOC was predicted only by the acceptance/rejection dimension of PS in children with CP; whereas for their siblings, age, and anxiety were the best predictors. The findings suggest a central influence of the home environment on children’s psychological development. For children with CP, experiencing parental acceptance may enhance development of resilience-related qualities, such as an internal LOC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel

    Esther Cohen

  2. The Neuropediatric Unit, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Gali Biran, Adi Aran & Varda Gross-Tsur

Authors
  1. Esther Cohen
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  2. Gali Biran
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  3. Adi Aran
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  4. Varda Gross-Tsur
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Correspondence to Esther Cohen.

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Cohen, E., Biran, G., Aran, A. et al. Locus of Control, Perceived Parenting Style, and Anxiety in Children with Cerebral Palsy. J Dev Phys Disabil 20, 415–423 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-008-9106-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-008-9106-8

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