Correlation between Mother-Child Relationship and Participation of Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy in Leisure Time Activities

Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the correlation between mother-child relationship and the rate of participation of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in leisure time activities. Methods: This study is a descriptive and correlational research. The statistical population included cerebral palsy children aged 7-17 years with a mother who is at least 25 years old. A sample size of 152 children was selected using systematic random sampling. The children filled the King’s assessment of participation and enjoyment questionnaire, whereas the mothers responded to a survey of Roth’s mother-child relationship evaluation. We collected the data and analyzed them (Spearman’s correlation test, One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney) using SPSS 16 software. Results: The results showed that there is a correlation between mother-child relationship and the rate of participation of cerebral palsy children in leisure time activities. There was a significant correlation between acceptance of child and the increasing involvement in leisure activities in case of cerebral palsy children. Over protection, excessive ease, and child rejection in a mother-child relationship was associated with reduction in the participation rate of the cerebral palsy children and adolescents in leisure activities. In case of quadriplegic children, the acceptance of child and participation rate was low compared to hemiplegic and diplegic children. Excessive ease of a mother-child relationship in girls was more than boys, but boys experienced more child rejection of a mother-child relationship than girls. Discussion: Participation rate, frequency (how often), and the enjoyment of participation in leisure time activities were correlated with mother-child relationship. Participation differences were existed among CP groups.