Exploring self-efficacy as a predictor of activity behaviours in children with cerebral palsy

• Author / Creator

  Ganz, Felipe I

• Children with physical disabilities spend most of their time sedentary and often experience barriers to physical activity participation. Increased sedentary behaviour has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life and conversely, increased physical activity is associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. While there has been research describing physical activity of children with physical disabilities, sedentary behaviour is a relatively new focus of research. This thesis is comprised of two studies: a scoping review (Chapter 2) and a cross-sectional, descriptive study (Chapter 3). The scoping review is a summary of research on sedentary behaviour in children with physical disabilities. Most of the studies were observational and confirmed that ambulatory children with physical disabilities spend a large amount of their time sedentary. Accelerometry was the most common measurement method for measure sedentary behaviour with children with cerebral palsy. Only three interventional studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of interventions on decreasing sedentary behaviour. None of the studies supported the effectiveness of the interventions. The aim of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to explore self-efficacy as a predictor of sedentary behaviour and moderate to vigorous physical activity time of children with cerebral palsy. Total participants with sufficient data were 26 children with cerebral palsy aged 9-18 years were included in the analysis. Two regression models were developed which included age, self-efficacy and Gross Motor Function Classification System level as independent variables, and proportion of time spent sedentary and in moderate to vigorous physical activity intensity as dependent variables. Correlation coefficients were also calculated to examine associations between these variables. Variation in daily sedentary time was partially explained by gross motor function (β = .43, p<.01) and age (β = .60, p<.01) (R2=.58). Variation in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity time was partially explained by gross motor function (β = -.46, p<.01), age (β -.34, p<.01) and self-efficacy (β=.28, p=.08) (R2=.50). Self-efficacy was negatively associated with sedentary behaviour time (r=-.33, p=.04) and positively correlated with time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (r=.42, p=.01), but did not significantly contribute to the multiple regression model (β =.28, p=.08). Given the small sample size, more research on the relationship between self-efficacy and physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children with cerebral palsy is needed. Embedding assessment and strategies to develop self-efficacy in physical activity and sedentary behavior counselling could potentially be included in physical therapy interventions.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • cerebral palsy
  • physical activity

• Graduation date

  Fall 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-tdds-5f27

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.