Nursing journal, Vol. 31 No. 2, 2026.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.11608/sgnj.31.2.3
Issues, challenges, and experiences of individuals with cerebral palsy from the perspective of personal assistants: a qualitative study
Leona Cilar Budler
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Žitna ulica 15, 2 000 Maribor, Slovenija
*
Vanesa Kovač
Gašper Zigmunt
Lana Friš
Tiana Čeh
Aljana Smajlović
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Introduction: Cerebral palsy is a common lifelong neurological disorder. Caring for individuals with cerebral palsy presents ongoing emotional, physical, and social challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of supporting individuals with cerebral palsy from the perspective of personal assistants, with particular attention to daily care challenges, communication processes, social participation, environmental barriers, and the professional demands associated with providing personal assistance.
Methods: Participants included six personal assistants employed within a regional cerebral palsy association in Slovenia. All participants were directly involved in providing daily support to individuals with cerebral palsy. The assistants supported service users with varying levels of functional independence, including adolescents, adults, and mixed age groups. A purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit participants with direct experience of the phenomenon under investigation. Data were collected through focus groups, and verbatim transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.
Results: We identified eight key themes related to supporting individuals with cerebral palsy. Personal assistants described variability in service users’ emotional and psychological states, communication challenges that require interpretation of non-verbal cues, and difficulties in motivating engagement in daily and physical activities. Themes related to social inclusion highlighted the importance of relationships alongside persistent societal barriers. Structural themes included infrastructural limitations, gaps in professional psychological support, and challenges related to the personal assistant role, including emotional strain, financial precarity, and training needs. Technology emerged as both a facilitator of independence and a selective tool for social connection.
Discussion with conclusion: Personal assistants working with individuals with cerebral palsy operate within a demanding nexus of emotional investment, structural limitations, and professional precarity, while providing critical support that enhances service users’ autonomy, social integration, and quality of life.
Ključne riječi
cerebral palsy; personal assistants; qualitative research; focus groups; coping strategies; social support
Hrčak ID:
350209
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.8.2026.
Posjeta: 0 *