Enjoyment of participation in formal and informal activities among students with cerebral palsy and healthy students

Background: Based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), participation is part of healthy function of children. The purpose of this study was to analyze the enjoyment of participation in formal and informal activities among students with cerebral palsy compared with healthy students.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 30 children with cerebral palsy aged 8-14 years from the schools for the paralyzed children and 30 peers with the same age from typical schools were selected through census and random sampling methods, respectively. Participation was evaluated by the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). The data were analyzed by SPSS-17 software.

Results: No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of enjoyment scale for formal and informal activities. There was a significant difference between children with cerebral palsy and typical peers in diversity scale for formal and informal activities (P<0.001). The mean intensity of participation in the normal group was more than the children with cerebral palsy in formal activities (P<0.001). Further, no significant was reported between groups in informal activities (P=0.002).

Conclusion: There were not significant differences between two groups in the enjoyment of participation for formal and informal activities. Cerebral palsy had no effect on enjoyment of doing activities but could affect the participation diversity and intensity of children in formal and informal activities.