Exploring Experiences, Expectations and Perceptions of Parents of Children with ASD in Receiving Parent Education from Speech-Language Pathologists

Abstract

EXPLORING EXPERIENCES, EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD IN RECEIVING PARENT EDUCATION FROM SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS by Vinaya Kulkarni The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2014 Under the Supervision of Professor Paula Rhyner, Ph.D. As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rises, an increasing number of parents are faced with questions related to diagnosis and intervention for their child with ASD. The purpose of the present study was to examine parental experiences, expectations, and level of satisfaction regarding parent education received on ASD from practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs). A 36-question online survey: Parent Education in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Experiences, Expectations, and Perception was created to collect data regarding parental experiences, expectations, and level of satisfaction pertaining to information provided by SLPs in the following areas: (a) the nature of ASD, (b) specific treatment approach(es) used with their child with ASD by the practicing SLP; and (c) evidence based practice in ASD. Participants were parents of children with ASD who responded to a recruitment flyer and the informed consent posted on the Facebook pages of the parent support organizations Autism Speaks Milwaukee and the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin. A total of 23 respondents met the inclusion criteria and completed the online survey via the Survey Monkey website. For each question, the percentage of responses for each response choice for each question was calculated. Data analyses revealed a high percentage (84.2%) of the respondents reported receiving information about specific treatment approaches used with their child. Information about common facts about ASD (e.g., causes, symptoms, and prognosis) was not received by 47.4% of the respondents and information about evidence-based practice related to ASD was not received by 63.2% of the respondents. The majority of respondents (62.5%) indicated the information received was partially understood and 68.5% of the respondents indicated that the information provided only partially met parental expectations. Respondents expressed the need for weekly communication from their child's SLP about their child's progress in therapy. Overall, the findings suggest that to further improve education for parents of children with ASD, education regarding common facts about ASD and about evidence-based practice needs to be emphasized. The findings also illustrate the need for additional research on the effectiveness of parent education for children with ASD.