André Oliveira, Armanda Pereira, Sílvia Lopes, Ana Guimarães and Pedro Rosário, researchers from the University Research Group on Self-regulation of the Psychology Research Center, in co-authorship with José Carlos Núñez and Guillermo Vallejo (Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain) and Raquel Abreu (Physiotherapy Department, Braga Cerebral Palsy Association), published in the International Journal of Disability, Development and Education an article entitled “Children with Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation In-Session Engagement: Lessons Learnt from a Story Tool Training Program”.
The study assessed the effectiveness of the psychoeducational intervention program, based on the narrative “As Incríveis Aventuras de Anastácio, o Explorador” (The Incredible Adventures of Anastácio, the Explorer), promoting the in-session engagement for children with cerebral palsy undergoing rehabilitation. The program showed promising results, with significant improvements in the affective, behavioral and cognitive dimensions of these children’s engagement.
Rehabilitation is very important for children with cerebral palsy, for their development and the maintenance of their skills. However, many of these children are not actively involved in the rehabilitation sessions. The study aimed to understand if a training program based on storytelling could help children with cerebral palsy to participate more in the sessions. The program was conducted in three rehabilitation centers and aimed to increase the in-session engagement of these children, working on three main aspects: emotions, behaviors and cognition.
The results showed that, with time, the children are more engaged in all these areas. The use of stories proved to be a good tool to increase the interest and engagement of these children during the rehabilitation sessions, offering a more complete and motivating approach in cerebral palsy treatment.
Reference:
Oliveira, A., Pereira, A., Núñez, J. C., Vallejo, G., Lopes, S., Guimarães, A., Abreu, R., & Rosário, P. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2024.2411276