Analysis of Social Skills and Functional Characteristics of Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

This study aims to describe the repertoire of adolescents with cerebral palsy in relation to social skills and to characterize their levels of gross motor function, communication, and functional activities. As an analytical observational study, 15 adolescents with cerebral palsy participated: five with articulated speech and ten without articulated speech. The instruments used were Identification Form; Social Skills Inventory for Students Without Articulated Speech; Social Skills Inventory for Adolescents; Expanded and Revised Gross Motor Function Classification System; Communication Function Classification System; and Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test - Adapted Brazilian Version. With quantitative and qualitative descriptive analysis, the results did not indicate a significant difference in the total score between groups, but the participants showed developmental deficits. Adolescents without articulated speech are more motor and communicatively compromised. Studies like this can contribute to the production of knowledge in the fields of Psychology, Special Education, and Social Skills.