Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intensive intervention in children with
cerebral palsy using a hypothetical matched control group based on motor growth
curves. DESIGN: For pretest-posttest design using a hypothetical control group, a
convenient sample of 39 children with cerebral palsy who received intensive
intervention without surgical treatment was assigned to the experimental group.
The hypothetical matched control group was created based on motor growth curves.
Gains in Gross Motor Function Measure-66 score after intensive treatment in the
experimental group were compared with scores in the hypothetical matched control
group using a mixed design for repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance.
RESULTS: Gross motor function development in the experimental group was
significantly accelerated compared with the hypothetical matched control group.
CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary study, using a hypothetical control group, the
effectiveness of intensive intervention in children with cerebral palsy has been
demonstrated. Although it is desirable to have a baseline phase to make sure
whether gross motor function in the hypothetical control group changes in a
similar way to that in the experimental group before an intervention phase, the
hypothetical control group design is well worth considering as a research design
option in the field of cerebral palsy research.

Langue : ANGLAIS