The Effect of Adapted Sports in Quality of Life and Biopsychosocial Profile of Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE The participation in sports and recreational activities promotes inclusion and the quality of life (QOL) for people with some type of disability. This study aims to evaluate and describe the effect of adapted sports (AS) on the QOL and biopsychosocial profile of children/adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS Forty-seven children/adolescents with CP were evaluated and referred to AS (soccer and swimming). The QOL was evaluated by the Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) and the biopsychosocial profile by the Behavior Checklist for Children/Adolescents (CBCL). These instruments considered the influence of gender, age, race, social income, education and topography of spasticity. RESULTS Seventeen children/adolescents who practiced AS were re-evaluated after one year. There was significant improvement in the dimensions of transfers and mobility (p=0.009), upper extremity function (p=0.021) and global function (p=0.004) of IARRP. There was significant improvement considering the attention disorder syndrome (p=0.026), and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (p=0.008) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-oriented analysis (CBCL). Children/adolescents with diplegia obtained greater benefit than those with hemiplegia in relation to the comfort and pain (p=0.02) and global dimension (p=0.027) (PODCI). The boys had higher scores in total competence (p=0.048); the extremely poor group obtained higher levels in the breaking rules syndrome (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS The AS had a positive effect on the QOL and biopsychosocial profile of children/adolescents with CP in this sample, especially considering the global and upper extremity function, capacity for transfers and mobility, and benefits in the problems related to difficulties in attention.