Four core themes pertaining to impairment and recovery of task-specific ability emerged:
1) spasticity can be overcome actively through task-specific attempts to use the affected arm and hand;
2) use of the affected arm can be facilitated by adopting positions that reduce the effect of gravity on the arm or enable gravity to act as a natural assist in the movement;
3) task-specific skill can be attained by repeatedly attempting specific component movements of tasks in the context of a variety of different tasks;
4) frustration impedes task performance but a mental state of ‘detached focus’ can improve the motivation to use the affected arm.