The dynamics of changes occurring in psycho-emotional sphere of children with cerebral palsy in the processof physical rehabilitation

Cerebral palsy hinders the process of forming the person, along with motor and intellectual development, giving a negative impact. Timely implementation of rehabilitation measures can have correctional influence not only on the development of motor skills and cognitive abilities, but also on mental development and the emotional-volitional sphere of children with cerebral palsy. The study of influence of physical rehabilitation on mental development and the emotional-volitional sphere was carried out among children with cerebral palsy aged 5-16. The study involved 83 children with cerebral palsy, 41 of them were in an experimental group. The Monitoring Group, where the methods of physical rehabilitation were not applied, included 42 disabled children. Using the method of color choice by L.N. Sobchik - a modified version of Luscher eight-color test - the diagnostics of psychological well-being of the examined children was made. The indicator of well-being was the total deviation (TD) from the autogenous norm and the vegetative coefficient (VC), which helped to determine the energy balance of the organism. The estimation of changes was carried out by analyzing changes in the values of final testing by the statistical Wilcoxon's T-criterion. The study provided data indicating that the set to an active role prevails for most children in the experimental group. The emotional mood of the examined children was optimistic. Strong-willed self-control was more effectively developed. In addition, there is evidence that the examined children have certain reserves of working capacity and resistance to stress. Statistically, the results of the control group did not reveal significant changes in any of the investigated characteristics. Thus, the results indicate the psychological effects, acquired as a result of the ongoing rehabilitation activities, which focus not only on the defect compensation and adaptation to life in society, but also, as experience has shown, contribute to the intellectual and personal development of children with cerebral palsy.

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