Sharing of lessons learned from multisite research.

Purpose: To highlight key considerations for planning and implementing multisite research based on experiences and reflections in conducting a large, international, multisite study.

Description: Successes and challenges encountered throughout a multisite study process, and collective recommendations for future researchers are presented. Considerations addressed include creation of the research team and a "community of practice," study preparation and management time, approval by institutional review boards, training of future researchers, recruitment and retention of participants, and dissemination and translation of study materials to consumers.

Factors related to adaptive behavior in children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the adaptive behavior of children with cerebral palsy and identify the child, family, and service factors that are related to their adaptive behavior.

Methods: A convenience sample of 319 children with cerebral palsy (3 to <13 years), and their caregivers (81% were children's mothers) participated in the study. Caregivers completed the Coping Inventory, Family Environment Scale, Service Questionnaire, and demographic questionnaire.

A comparison of motor behaviors, interaction, and playfulness during mother-child and father-child play with children with motor delay.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare motor behavior, parent-child interactions, and child's playfulness during mother-child and father-child play with children with motor delay. Play sessions of 20 children (ages 7 to 36 months) and their parents were videotaped in the families' homes. Interval recording was used to measure the children's motor behaviors, the parents' handling/positioning, and the children's position of play.

Exploring physical therapy clinical decision making for children with spastic diplegia: survey of pediatric practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this special interest report is to describe the outcomes of a research round table discussion regarding the physical therapy management of mobility for children with spastic diplegia.

Description: Sixty-two pediatric physical therapists and physical therapists assistants participated in focus groups during the Research Round Table at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) 1999 Combined Sections Meeting. A case description of a child with spastic diplegia and guiding questions were used to facilitate discussion.