Research Article
Issue Date: May/June 2018
Published Online: March 12, 2018
Updated: April 30, 2020
Functional Capacity and Self-Esteem of People With Cerebral Palsy
Sandra Martina Espín-Tello; Heather Olivia Dickinson; Manuel Bueno-Lozano; María Teresa Jiménez-Bernadó; Ana Luisa Caballero-Navarro
Author Affiliations
  • Sandra Martina Espín-Tello, PhD, is Occupational Therapist, Departamento de Fisiatría y Enfermería, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; sandraespintello@gmail.com
  • Heather Olivia Dickinson, PhD, is Visiting Researcher, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
  • Manuel Bueno-Lozano, PhD, is Pediatrician and Associate Professor, Departamento de Fisiatría y Enfermería, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
  • María Teresa Jiménez-Bernadó, PhD, is Physiatrist and Assistant Professor, Departamento de Fisiatría y Enfermería, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
  • Ana Luisa Caballero-Navarro, PhD, is Pediatrician and Associate Professor, Departamento de Fisiatría y Enfermería, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Article Information
Neurologic Conditions / Pediatric Evaluation and Intervention / Rehabilitation, Participation, and Disability / Research Articles
Research Article   |   March 12, 2018
Functional Capacity and Self-Esteem of People With Cerebral Palsy
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March 2018, Vol. 72, 7203205120. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.025940
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March 2018, Vol. 72, 7203205120. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.025940
Abstract

OBJECTIVE. We assessed whether functional capacity predicts self-esteem in people with cerebral palsy (CP).

METHOD. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 108 people with CP, ages 16–65 yr, who were residents of Spain. Self-esteem was captured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and functional capacity using the Barthel Index (BI). Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. The relationship between the RSES score and the BI score was analyzed using linear regression.

RESULTS. RSES scores increased significantly as BI scores increased (regression coefficient = 0.047, 95% confidence interval [0.017, 0.078], p = .003). People with a higher level of education, active employment, and independent living arrangements tended to have better functional capacity and higher self-esteem.

CONCLUSION. Greater functional capacity predicted higher self-esteem; this effect is probably partly mediated by education, employment, and living arrangements.