When I do I become someone - young adults with cerebral palsy experiences of occupational performance and participation in daily life.

• Background: Studies have shown that persons with cerebral palsy (CP), even if they have good hand function and are able to move independently, have a lower level of independence and participation in daily life than persons without disabilities in the same age. In the interaction between the person, environment and activity the perception of participation occurs. No studies can be found showing how young adults with CP perceive their ability to perform activities and its relation to their participation in everyday life. Aim: To investigate how young adults with CP perceive their ability of occupational performance and their participation in everyday life. Method: A qualitative interview study, with a Phenomenographic approach, with 10 persons with CP (MACS I-III) in the age of 18-30 years, in the region of Västra Götaland, Sweden. Result: Preliminary result show that young adults with CP perceive their occupational performance as very important in life, and that it is crucial to perform activities yourself and in the same way as others. The persons consider that occupational performance can affect selfesteem, self-image and self-confidence, and is viewed to help young adults to grow as person. Occupational performance is experienced to create feeling of affiliation or exclusion, depending on the possibility to be a part of an activity situation or how the people in the environment act. To perform activities describes as very demanding, especially cognitively, but with knowledge, compensation, adaptation, support and self-motivation it becomes possible. The persons describe that, even if it becomes possible, the occupational performance has a high price in form of motor impairment, pain, mental and physical fatigue, which can affect the possibility to continue performing activities. Conclusion: Young adults with CP consider that despite the fact that life is so demanding, it is important to perform activities yourself, because "When I do I become someone”.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsterapi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Therapy (hsv//eng)

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