Outcome
Type |
Measure |
Description |
Time frame |
Safety issue |
Primary |
Change in Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) Score - Section on Dissociated Movements |
Upper extremity function assessment (section on dissociated movements). The QUEST is a tool that evaluates the quality of upper extremity function. Data is reported on a scale from 0 to 100 for each assessment. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
|
Primary |
Change in Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) Score - Section on Grasp |
Upper extremity function assessment (section on grasp). The QUEST is a tool that evaluates the quality of upper extremity function. Data is reported on a scale from 0 to 100 for each assessment. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
|
Secondary |
Change in Box and Block Test Score |
Gross manual dexterity assessment. The test is administered by using a wooden box divided in two compartments. At the beginning of the test, 150 wooden blocks are positioned in one of these compartments. Then study participants are instructed to move, one by one, the maximum number of wooden blocks from one compartment to the other one in a time interval of 1 minute. The result of the test is the number of wooden blocks moved in 1 minute. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
|
Secondary |
Change in Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire Score - Child |
Questionnaire for evaluation of quality of life as reported by the child. The questionnaire covers different domains (e.g. social wellbeing and acceptance). Data is reported on a scale from 0 to 100. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. The change from baseline to follow-up is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered at one month follow-up. |
Data collected at baseline, at completion of the 7-week intervention, and at one month follow-up |
|
Secondary |
Change in Number of Muscle Synergies |
Subjects will be asked to reach and grasp objects of different sizes and shapes. Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity will be collected from 16 muscles of the upper-limb. EMG data is then analyzed using a mathematical technique (referred to as non-negative matrix factorization) that allows researchers to quantify patterns of co-activation among muscles. The number of muscle synergies necessary to accurately reconstruct the individual EMG channel recordings will be herein considered. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
|
Secondary |
Change in Modified Ashworth Scale Score |
Upper extremity muscle spasticity assessment. This scale is administered by manually moving the subject's body segments and evaluate if an involuntary (reflex) response of muscles interfere with the passive movement. If testing a muscle that primarily flexes a joint, the rehabilitation specialist evaluating the subject places the joint in a maximally flexed position and moves it to a position of maximal extension over one second. If testing a muscle that primarily extends a joint, the rehabilitation specialist evaluating the subject places the joint in a maximally extended position and moves to a position of maximal flexion over one second. Spasticity causes a contraction resisting the movement. The strength of the contraction (i.e. force involuntarily generated by muscles) is evaluated on a scale from 0 to 4. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
|
Secondary |
Change in Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire Score - Caregiver |
Questionnaire for evaluation of quality of life as reported by the caregiver. The questionnaire covers different domains (e.g. social wellbeing and acceptance). Data is reported on a scale from 0 to 100. The change from baseline to post-intervention is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered post-intervention. The change from baseline to follow-up is calculated by taking the difference between the value gathered pre-intervention and the value gathered at one month follow-up. |
Data collected at baseline, at completion of the 7-week intervention, and at one month follow-up |
|
Secondary |
Synergy Similarity |
Subjects will be asked to reach and grasp objects of different sizes and shapes. Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity will be collected from 16 muscles of the upper-limb. EMG data is then analyzed using a mathematical technique (referred to as non-negative matrix factorization) that allows researchers to quantify patterns of co-activation among muscles. The similarity among muscle synergies is estimated by computing the scalar product between corresponding muscle synergies. Results are reported individually for each muscle synergy. The minimum scalar product is 0 and it means that the synergies (pre- vs post-interventions) are highly dissimilar. The maximum scalar product is 1 and it means that the synergies (pre- vs post-interventions) are identical. |
Data collected at baseline and at completion of the 7-week intervention |
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