Article

This paper is a systematic review of physical activity measurement
instruments for field-based studies involving children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Method Database searches using PubMed Central, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO,
EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PEDro located 12 research papers, identifying seven
instruments that met the inclusion criteria of (1) having been developed for
children aged 0 to 18 years, (2) having been used to evaluate a physical activity
dimension, and (3) having been used in a field-based study involving children
with CP. The instruments reviewed were the Activities Scale for Kids -
Performance version (ASKp),
the Canada Fitness Survey, the Children's Assessment
of Participation and Enjoyment/Preferences for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC),
the Compendium of Physical Activities, the Physical Activity Questionnaire -
Adolescents (PAQ-A), StepWatch, and the Uptimer. Second-round searches yielded 11
more papers, providing reliability and validity evidence for the instruments.
Results The instruments measure physical activity frequency, mode, domain, and
duration. Although most instruments demonstrated adequate reliability and
validity, only the ASKp and CAPE/PAC have established reliability and validity
for children with physical disabilities; the Uptimer has established concurrent
validity. No instrument measuring intensity in free-living has been validated or
found reliable for children with CP. Interpretation The findings suggest that
further studies are needed to examine the methodological properties of physical
activity measurement in children with CP. Combining subjective and objective
instruments is recommended to achieve better understanding of physical activity participation.
CI - (c) The Authors. Journal compilation (c) Mac Keith Press 2010.

Langue : ANGLAIS