August 20, 2026

Understanding how young people with cerebral palsy and their primary support person manage pain together: Exploring shared coping and the role of music

About the study

We are seeking young people with cerebral palsy (CP) and their primary support person to share their experiences of living with pain.

This study explores how families cope with pain and stress, support each other, and whether music plays a role in managing wellbeing.

Participation includes a short questionnaire and an online interview.

Families from diverse cultural and language backgrounds are encouraged to participate.

Young people 12-17 years:

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy
Experiencing persistent pain (≥3 months)
Fully verbal or using augmentative and alternative communication
Experiencing functional impact such as fatigue or reduced participation
Young person must be able to communicate, read, write, listen and speak English sufficiently to independently understand the participant information, provide informed consent/assent, complete questionnaires and participate in the interview. Interpreter support will be made available upon request to provide additional clarification or support during the interview process

Primary support person:

Unpaid caregiver providing day-to-day support (e.g., parent, grandparent, relative, friend, informal carer)
Able to provide informed consent
Primary support person must be able to communicate, read, write, listen and speak English sufficiently to independently understand the participant information, provide informed consent/assent, complete questionnaires and participate in the interview. Interpreter support will be made available upon request to provide additional clarification or support during the interview process

A one-hour online interview and two short questionnaires (approximately 12 minutes completion time) related to pain and coping.

Dr Manasi Murthy Mittinty,
Senior Research Fellow, Disability and Health Unit, University of Melbourne, manaimurthy.mittinty@unimelb.edu.au

25th November 2026

Click here to download the flyer