ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine through a meta-analysis the effect of Constraint- InducedMovement Therapy for the upper-extremity function in children with cerebral palsy suffering from hemiplegia. Methods : The data were collected using domestic and foreign search engines. The fourteen studies selected werepublished from 2006 to 2013. The studies that meet the selection criteria were conducted through a qualitativeassessment using the PEDro score. The average and standard deviations and the sample size of the pre-test andpost-test, depending on the topic, were determined through a meta- analysis. Results : The fourteen studies that meet the selection criteria were 6 points over the PEDro score and involved527 study participants. The effect size of the affected upper-extremity function, amount of use, and quality asindicated by a “large effect size,” was statistically significant (p<.001). The effect size of the dissociatedmovement, visual motor integration, and bilateral hand use as indicated by a “medium effect size,” was alsostatistically significant (p<.05). Conclusion : Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy is more effective than conventional therapy for improving theupper-extremity function of children with cerebral palsy suffering from hemiplegia. This evidence can be used toimprove the upper-extremity function of such children in a clinical setting.