Affiliations: Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago, IL,
USA | University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA | University of California, Davis, CA, USA | Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA,
USA | Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia, PA,
USA | Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Erin H. Kelly, PhD; Shriners Hospitals for
Children; 2211 N. Oak Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60707, USA. Tel.: +1 773 385
5853; Fax: +1 773 385 5488; E-mail: ekelly@shrinenet.org
Abstract: Aim: Examine relationships between participation and quality of life
(QOL) among youth with spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: Youth ages 6–18
years with SCI completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and
Enjoyment, which measures participation frequency (diversity/intensity) and
context (with whom/where), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, which
measures emotional, social, school, and overall psychosocial QOL. Analyses were
conducted separately for children (ages 6–12) and adolescents (ages 13–18)
and included correlations and multiple regression. Results: 340 youth
participated; the participants were 56% male with an average age of
13.33 years (SD=3.75), 66% had paraplegia, and their average injury
duration was 5.13 years (SD=4.31). Among children, participating further
from home was related to increased social, school, and overall QOL. Among
adolescents, participating with a more diverse group was related to greater
emotional QOL. In general, participation context was more closely related
to QOL, but among physical (for all youth) and social (for children)
activities, frequency of participation was related to QOL. Interpretation: Relationships between participation and QOL differ with child
age. Among children, encouraging participation out of the home may be most
beneficial to QOL. Among adolescents, fostering participation with a more
varied group may be most beneficial to QOL.
Keywords: Pediatric spinal cord injury, community participation, quality of life, participation context, participation frequency
