What families really think about the quality of early intervention centers: a perspective from mixed methods

Abstract

Background Families are a fundamental aspect in the current perspective of Early Intervention, and knowing their opinion with quantitative and qualitative research is necessary for its improvement. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality of the service perceived in Early Intervention Centers and its relationship with satisfaction and future intention, as well as to identify factors that are associated with the perception of users. Methods A measurement model of 50 items and an open question to gather qualitative information was used in a sample of 233 participants. A confirmatory factor analysis and a regression analysis were conducted. Regarding the qualitative data, the information was subjected to a thematic content analysis in order to delve into the perception of the participants. Results The model showed a satisfactory fit and the regression analysis indicated that treatment rooms (β = − 0.28) and adaptation of activities (β = 0.27) have greater weight with respect to satisfaction, whereas for future intention, the factors of greater weight were adaptation of activities (β = 0.23) and location (β = 0.20). The qualitative analysis showed three themes: facilitators, barriers and suggestions for improvement. Within facilitators, the participants were satisfied with the Early Intervention professionals, and they made improvement suggestions for the detected barriers to improve the facilities and the follow-up of the child. Conclusions The study offers a wide perspective of the perception of the service with an active participation of families in the treatment within the Early Intervention service. This will allow professionals in Early Intervention, service providers and researchers to consider the families as intervention agents capable of providing their opinion and making decisions, and not only as passive elements.

How Does the Cause of Infantile Hemiparesis Influence Other Conditioning Factors? A Preliminary Study in a Spanish Population

“…Early diagnosis, when communicated respectfully, truthfully, and empathically toward the needs of the parents, results in greater family engagement, enhanced by the individual goals for the child and the family [ 32 , 33 ]. After diagnosis, the families will have the opportunity to search for information about the diagnosis and prognosis of the condition and how to choose the most adequate intervention for their child and for themselves [ 33 , 34 ]. On the other hand, delays in diagnosis can have long-term negative consequences for both the child and the family [ 27 ].…”

“…On the other hand, delays in diagnosis can have long-term negative consequences for both the child and the family [ 27 ]. They are associated with parental dissatisfaction, stress, and depression and with higher rates of mental health in children and adolescents [ 15 , 34 ].…”

Service Quality in Early Intervention Centres: An Analysis of Its Influence on Satisfaction and Family Quality of Life

“…Furthermore, the option, not applicable, was also present for the families to select if the item did not reflect their situation. Finally, a satisfaction scale composed of three items was used [36], which had already been employed in this context [37] obtaining an adequate internal consistency (α = 0.90), with the same response format as the IQEIC instrument. Appendix A shows the items used for each scale.…”