>
>
> > TEMPLE UNIVERSITY  College of Allied Health Professions 3307 N. Broad 
> > Street (602-00)
> > A Commonwealth University      Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140
> >            (215) 707-4815
> > Physical Therapy Department      Fax: (215) 707-7500
> >
> > Memo
> > To: Parents, Caregivers, Therapists, Nurses of Children with Cerebral 
> > Palsy
> > From: Greta von der Luft, PhD, MEd, MSPT, BS
> > Date: June 23, 2006
> > Re: Update on study which investigated self concept in children with 
> > cerebral palsy
> >
> > Introduction: The study investigating self concept in children with 
> > cerebral palsy has been completed. We greatly appreciate all of the 
> > assistance, time, effort and considerations that were freely given. Most 
> > importantly, we greatly appreciate the parents who allowed us to 
> > interview their child and the children who allowed us to ask them how 
> > they feel about themselves. Without their participation this study would 
> > not have been possible.
> >
> > Summary of Study: The abstract of the study is attached to this memo. It 
> > contains the purpose, method, results, and conclusions that were reached 
> > from completing this research. It is anticipated that more detailed 
> > journal article(s) will be generated which will provide a more in depth 
> > analysis and reporting of the study. If you would like to receive a copy 
> > of future report(s), please contact Greta von der Luft at 
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________________________________________
> >
> > ABSTRACT
> >
> > Self Concept in Children with Cerebral Palsy
> > Greta von der Luft
> > Doctor of Philosophy
> > Temple University, 2006
> > Doctoral Advisory Committee Chair: Katherine F. Shepard, PT, PhD, FAPTA
> >
> >
> > The purpose of this research was to investigate self concept in children 
> > with cerebral palsy (CP). This was done to address the lack of research 
> > with sound methodology in this area. Prior investigations used self 
> > concept tools that were not validated for use with children with 
> > physical disabilities or included a very diverse sample of children with 
> > physical disabilities. Because of these methodological errors, it was 
> > unclear whether self concept in children with cerebral palsy was 
> > associated with their disability.
> >
> > To address this area of weakness in the literature, the methods were 
> > divided into two areas primary and secondary. The primary methodology 
> > included cross validating a self concept tool, the Self Description 
> > Questionnaire (SDQ), for use with children with cerebral palsy (CP) who 
> > had average intelligence or mild mental retardation (MMR). To accomplish 
> > this 104 children with CP were administered the SDQ. Then, the 
> > psychometric stability of the SDQ was investigated using coefficient 
> > alpha to determine the internal reliability and confirmatory factor 
> > analysis to determine the construct validity. The secondary methodology 
> > focused on laying a descriptive foundation of self concept in children 
> > with CP. This was done by analyzing the demographic data that was 
> > collected on each child including physical impairment, gender, grade, 
> > and educational placement level. These descriptors were then 
> > individually analyzed using analysis of variance with different self 
> > concept domains and globally to determine if there were associations 
> > between the child's characteristics and self concept.
> >
> > The primary results revealed that the Self Description Questionnaire had 
> > moderate internal consistency and emerging construct validity. The 
> > construct validity is emerging as there were too few participants to 
> > make a final determination regarding the validity of the tool using 
> > structural equation modeling and factor analysis. The secondary results 
> > described children with CP as having higher self concept levels in the 
> > areas of physical appearance, peer relations, and general self and lower 
> > self concept levels in the area of physical abilities as compared to 
> > their peers without disabilities. As a group, the children with CP did 
> > not have different self concept levels according to gender roles or 
> > according to level of physical impairment. However, children with CP did 
> > have different self concept levels according to grade levels and 
> > educational placement level.
> >
> > This research provided a self concept tool that may be psychometrically 
> > stable for use with children with CP. Using this tool, an initial 
> > description of self concept in children with CP was provided. It is 
> > suggested that more research is done in this area to provide a clearer 
> > consensus on the construct validity of the SDQ for use with children 
> > with CP. Additionally, it is suggested that more research is done to 
> > disprove or prove the theory that the level of physical impairment is 
> > associated with self concept development.
> 

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