Physical Activity in the Life of a Woman with Severe Cerebral Palsy: Showing competence and being socially connected

Abstract

We used a life‐history approach to investigate the meanings and experiences of physical activity in the life of a 25‐year‐old woman with severe cerebral palsy (Amy). Amy and her mother were interviewed about Amy’s life and her involvement in physical activity. The conversation was audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. We interpreted Amy’s story using psychodynamic theory. Although Amy enjoyed learning to walk, she developed a sense of inferiority on entering the school environment because her skills did not compare favourably with those of her classmates without disabilities. Despite these negative experiences, Amy became more physically active as an adult than she had been as a child and as an adolescent, with the intention of delaying further functional decline, to stay socially connected to the people around her and to gain self‐esteem through displaying competence at physical tasks. For Amy, engaging in physical activity was intimately tied to psychosocial growth, especially as a young adult. Further research should be conducted to investigate whether this relationship between physical activity and psychosocial growth is present in the lives of other people with disabilities.

Keywords:

• cerebral palsy
• disability
• life history
• physical activity
• psychodynamic theory
• psychosocial development

Acknowledgement

This study was funded by a Scholarship for Doctoral Research awarded to the first author by Victoria University.