What is quality of life for children with cerebral palsy? A constructivist grounded theory approach with implications for measurement

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in children in Australia and other high-income countries (Reid et al., 2016; Shaunak & Kelly, 2017). CP has permanent consequences across many areas of life from children’s early development throughout the lifespan. In research and health service settings, quality of life (QOL) is recognised as a useful conceptual model for measuring subjective wellbeing across many areas of life, including those that may be impacted by various health conditions. Generic measures aim to capture QOL for all people, while condition-specific measures have been developed to address specific aspects of life that may be affected by specific conditions, suc..