ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an Interactive Metronome (IM) on the bilateral coordination, balance, and upper extremity function for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Methods : For this study, single-subject experimental research was conducted using an ABA design. We observed the child for around 40 minutes twice a week for 10 weeks, with a total of 20 sessions. We evaluated the child's bilateral coordination without intervention in the baseline phase (A) for four sessions. In the intervention phase (twelve sessions), the child received 40 minutes of Interactive Metronome training twice a week. The bilateral coordination of the child was measured after each training. During the second baseline phase, data were collected using the same procedure as the first baseline phase. The child's balance was assessed before and after treatment. In addition, the child's hand function was assessed pre-, interim-, and post-treatment. Results : After IM training, the participant showed an increase in bilateral coordination and balance, and demonstrated significant improvement. Additionally, the participant showed an increase in hand function, although not at a significant level. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that IM training has a positive effect on bilateral coordination and balance. In addition, IM training can be used as basic data for clinicians in the area of occupational therapy