Parents’ experiences and wishes regarding their role in their child’s treatment for a Developmental Language Disorder.

Abstract

Parental involvement is essential for the effectiveness of the child’s treatment for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Unfortunately, no studies have investigated parents’ wishes and experiences regarding their involvement. This study assessed differences in parents’ experiences and wishes regarding their involvement in their child’s treatment for DLD, through a survey and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using a Thematic Network Analysis to give meaning to and identify parental factors. Parents were currently involved in observation of therapy sessions, completing home practice and goal selection, however, more parents wished they were involved in goal selection. Most parents learned to stimulate the child’s language and received instructions to complete home practice, but they also wished to learn more about how to change their own language. Four global themes (capability to help the child, responsive to the child’s treatment needs, being involved and taking initiative to help the child, emotional impact of the child’s disorder) of parental factors were identified and differentiate parents in their involvement. This study gives interpretation to parents’ role in the child’s treatment and provides Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) with tools to negotiate roles with parents.