Are families with adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy the same as other families?

This study compared adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and their families to adolescents without physical disabilities and their families as the chi ld enters and leaves adolescence (age ranges 13 to 15 years and 19 to 23 ye ars). Families of 90 individuals with CP (42 females, 48 males) and 75 indi viduals without physical disabilities (34 females, 41 males) participated. They completed the Family Assessment Device, Life Situation Survey, Multidi mensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Future Questionnaire, Ther e were few differences in family functioning, life satisfaction, or perceiv ed social support between the groups. Expectations of young adults with CP and parents of both adolescents and young adults regarding future independe nce and success were lower than the expectations of the control group. Whil e the group results emphasize similarities between families during the two stages of adolescence, individual families and individual family members re port specific challenges.