부산대학교 도서관

This thesis explores the relationship between children and young people with Cerebral Palsy's experience of rehabilitation and its impact on their psychoemotional development and sense of self. This thesis identifies that there has been a lack of discussion regarding the impact of undertaking rehabilitation and developing a sense of self as a person with Cerebral Palsy. By conducting semistructured interviews with 16 children and young people who identified as having Cerebral Palsy about their experience of the rehabilitative process, this research makes three main findings; rehabilitation contributed to participants' psychoemotional response to their walking ability; rehabilitation constructed a version of independence, which impacted participants' sense of self when the reality differed from their expectation; and, due to their lack of agency in the process, rehabilitation led to participants experiencing internalised oppression based on a belief that they had to improve their functionality through therapy. Based on these findings, this thesis makes a recommendation for further research into people with Cerebral Palsy's experiences of pain and degeneration, and a policy proposal that rehabilitation services should take a lifelong approach to enhance the physical, social, and psycho-emotional well-being of children, young people, and adults with Cerebral Palsy.