ABSTRACT

Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the agreement between parents and therapists in assessed manual ability using the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) for children with cerebral palsy. Methods : The subjects were 136 children with cerebral palsy who are undergoing rehabilitation programs in 16 welfare centers. Their parents and therapists assessed the manual abilities of the children using MACS. Agreement between the parents and therapists was determined using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results : The mean age of the 136 children (73 male, 63 female) was 7 years, 6 months (range of 4 years, 0 months - 13 years, 6 months). The overall agreement between parents-assessed and therapists-assessed MACS was good (ICC = .84, 95% confidence interval, .77-.88). Conclusion : MACS is designed to classify how children with CP use their hands when handling objects in daily activities. MACS offers a reliable method for population-based research, and for communicating the manual ability of children with CP.