Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026
Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy
Published on: August 9, 2024
Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy as a Home-Based Intervention for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Pavlina Psychouli1, Colin R Kennedy
1School of Occupational Therapy (Dr Psychouli), Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece; School of Medicine (Dr Kennedy), University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Purpose:
This study was designed to investigate the benefit to upper limb function of a home-based version of pediatric constraint-induced movement therapy, which was delivered across 2 months.
Methods:
Nine children (mean age: 6 years, 9 months) with hemiplegic cerebral palsy participated in this A1-B-C-A2 design, where A1 and A2 were nonintervention phases. In phases B and C, participants wore a splint on the unaffected hand. In phase C, motivating feedback through a computer game was added.
Results:
The Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function and the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test scores were significantly higher at the end of phases B (P = .037 and P = .006, respectively) and C (P = .001 and P = .001, respectively). Melbourne scores remained higher at the end of phase A2 (P = .001).
Conclusions:
A nonintensive form of home-based constraint-induced movement therapy was found to be effective. Improvements were larger after the second month of intervention.
