Parental Participation in Intervention Programs for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Parental participation in intervention programs for children with physical disabilities has become an important issue in recent years, often emphasized by both professionals and parents. In this article, recent studies examining parental involvement in intervention programs for children with cerebral palsy are reviewed. Only a few studies were found that were explicitly designed to study the effects of parental involvement. Most of these studies reported positive results, especially regarding child-related outcomes. The effects on the parents were less clear, with positive and negative results reported. One important variable distinguishing programs with positive effects was the degree to which parents were involved in setting goals for their children's programs. Recommendations for practice and future research are given.