The Relationship Between the Fine Motor Skills and Occupational Self-Assessment of Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Upper limb function can be correlated with the self-assessment of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

This study aimed to determine the correlation between fine motor skills and occupational self-assessment in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Fifty patients aged 8 - 13 with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, who had 1 of 3 levels (I to III) of hand skills based on the manual ability classification system (MACS), were selected. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) Questionnaire for the motor skills and Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA) Questionnaire were given to participants. The Spearman correlation coefficient at a significance level of 0.05 was used to determine the relationship between the variables.

The mean and SD of occupational self-assessment and its subscales (i.e., occupational value and competence) at different levels of hand dysfunction (I - III) were 115.68 ± 14.04, 54.70 ± 8.83, and 60.98 ± 5.69, respectively. The mean and SD of fine motor skills and its subscales (i.e., visual-motor control, response speed, and upper-limb speed) and dexterity at different levels of hand dysfunction were 70.44 ± 14.76, 4.04 ± 2.44, 33.70 ± 6.19, and 32.70 ± 7.07, respectively. The spearman correlation showed a significant relationship between fine motor skills of hand and its subscales with occupational self-assessment and its subscales (P < 0.05).

The findings showed that to improve occupational self-assessment of cerebral palsy children, special attention should be paid to progress the function of the upper extremity through occupational therapy interventions. It can lead to improved quality of life, strong sense of self-efficacy, and greater independence.