Effects of Hippotherapy on Health-Related Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Despite accumulating data regarding the beneficial effects of hippotherapy on gait and balance skills in children with cerebral palsy (CP), its effects on caregivers' quality of life (QOL) are limited, presumably due to a lack of reliable and valid measurement tools. This study aims to evaluate the impact of hippotherapy on the health-related QOL of primary caregivers using the Japanese version of the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL) questionnaire. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design embedded within our existing cohort was utilized. A total of 29 children with CP (range 4-12 years) and their caregivers participated in either a weekly hippotherapy or recreation (usual care) program for 1 year. In addition to gait-related measurements (Gross Motor Function Measure [GMFM]-E) of children, CP QOL-evidenced determinants of the caregivers' health-related QOL and well-being were compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS: In addition to improvements in children's GMFM-E scores, hippotherapy improved CP QOL domains related to participation and physical health, children's emotional well-being, and parents' overall health (p < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed a positive relationship between the children's GMFM-E scores and their caregivers' health domains in participants who received hippotherapy (r2 = 0.404; p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Hippotherapy has a beneficial effect on the physical and mental well-being and satisfaction of Japanese parents caring for children with CP.

Development and exploration of a Japanese version of the cerebral palsy quality of life for children questionnaire for primary caregivers: a pilot study.

[Purpose] We aimed to translate and validate a Japanese language version of the cerebral palsy quality of life for children questionnaire for primary caregivers and assess the relationship between quality of life of Japanese parents and their children's motor skills. [Participants and Methods] Fifty children (aged 4 to 12 years) and their parents (mothers) were enrolled. The parent-proxy version of the cerebral palsy quality of life for children questionnaire translated to Japanese was administered, and a validation study was performed using Cronbach's α as the key metric. The relationships between the parents' quality of life and children's Gross Motor Function Classification Scale levels were analyzed. [Results] We found that the age of the children and their parents and gender of the children were not significant factors affecting the quality of life domains. Significantly high values of internal consistency were detected among items within each quality of life domain, wherein Cronbach's α was between 0.72 and 0.89. Two quality of life domains (Emotional well-being and Feeling about functioning) were significantly associated with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale levels. [Conclusion] Our data suggest that the original English version of the cerebral palsy quality of life for children questionnaire for primary caregivers was successfully translated to Japanese for use by Japanese-speaking parents caring for their children.