Effectiveness of Family–Professional Collaboration on Functional Goals Achievement of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Caregivers’ Quality of Life and Burden: A Randomized Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Family–professional collaboration is important to enhance the outcomes for children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers. Aims: This study examined the effect of implementing a family–professional collaboration practice model on children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers. Materials and methods: A randomized, single-blind comparative study included 28 physical therapists, 44 children with cerebral palsy between the ages of 2 and 12 years old, and their caregivers. Physical therapists in the experimental group received training in how to implement collaboration in their therapy sessions over the course of two sessions (3 h each). The children’s achievement goal-range rate was measured using the Goal Attainment Scaling, the caregivers’ quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life—Brief, and the caregiver burden was evaluated using the Zarit Burden Interview. Results: All children showed improvement on the Goal Attainment Scaling change rate (p = 0.002), with no significant differences between groups (p < 0.44). However, a group × time interaction was observed. The Children Goal Attainment Scaling rate decreased between the two assessment sessions for children in the control group, while the Goal Attainment Scaling change rate was steady for the experimental group. There were no main effects of time and group or interaction of time × group reported on World Health Organization Quality of Life—Brief domains and no main effect of time on the Zarit Burden Interview, but there was a main effect between groups (p = 0.03), with partial eta square = 0.11 in favor of the experimental group. Conclusions: The family–professional collaboration practice model could be a potential practice to positively improve the outcomes in children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers.