Although there are many inequities in the lives of adults with cerebral palsy, some achieve positive social outcomes (e.g., independent living, employment, and romantic relationships). We interviewed 23 adults (aged 23–47 years) about how they successfully negotiated the challenges of adulthood.
Common to all life situations was doing what others (people without cerebral palsy) do. Adults talked about the importance of their formative experiences – that is, the things that happened while they were growing up. Positive experiences included when parents had typical expectations of them and provided them with the needed support, and supported involvement in school life. For adults with cerebral palsy, present functioning (e.g., positive self-concept, well-honed social skills, and physical fitness) combined with present contexts (e.g., expectations of involvement in adult activities and accessible and accommodating environments) enabled them to find ways of negotiating challenges. Finding a way (to do the things that were important or required) included drawing on their knowledge and skills, gravitating toward those who are comfortable with difference, maintaining function, and using natural and paid supports. The findings suggest there are many avenues for supporting people with cerebral palsy to achieve positive social outcomes.
The Australian findings of this project have been published and used to help plan new research to support the participation of adults with CP. You can find the abstract for this journal article here.
This project was funded by the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation and the NHMRC CRE-CP.
Christine (she/her) grew up on Nipaluna lands and currently lives on Wurundjeri lands. Christine pays her respects to the Custodians, Elders past, present and emerging. Christine is the Apex Australia Foundation Chair of Neurodevelopment and Disability at The University of Melbourne and The Royal Children’s Hospital. This is called the Apex Chair for short.
Christine is an occupational therapist, and her research focuses on participation – what helps, what makes it harder, and how to change what we do so that participation is better for everyone. Christine’s research is usually done in partnership with young people with disability and their families.
In 2021, Christine became Founding Director of Healthy Trajectories, a child and youth disability research hub on the Melbourne Children’s Campus. She is excited to bring together a team to work towards the vision of achieving best outcomes for children and youth with disability and their families. Read more about Christine’s research.
When she is not researching (and sometimes when she is) you can find Christine sailing with her family or doing renovations on her home.
Tell us a bit about yourself so we can keep you up to date with the most relevant news and opportunities.
Tell us a bit about yourself so we can keep you up to date with the most relevant news and opportunities.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more