Exploring the experiences of parents with children who have communication delays, as a population at risk for the development of behavioural concerns
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Existing research identifies preschoolers with communication delays as a population at \nrisk for the development of behavioural concerns. This risk increases when additional \nenvironmental factors such as parental stress and family conflict are also present. Research has \nalso shown that behavioural concerns can be stable over time when they develop early. However, \nearly intervention has been shown to be effective in addressing these concerns. The effectiveness \nof early intervention in addressing both child and family outcomes increases when interventions \nare delivered in a family-centred approach. This research project made use of data related to \nchild behaviour and parenting, gathered through the Family Resource Project which explored the \nparenting experiences and resource access and allocation decisions of families who have \npreschool children with and without communication delays. Cluster analysis was used to explore \nwhether there were identifiable clusters of children and families within each sample. Interview \ndata fi"om each identified family cluster was then explored further, to identify how parents \ndescribed their child's behaviour and their experience of parenting. Results show that, within this \nsample, parents of preschoolers with communication delays described their child's behaviour and \ntheir experience of parenting differently than did parents of children without communication \ndelays. Results also showed that within this sample parents experiencing parental stress and/or \nfamily conflict described their child's behaviour and their experience of parenting differently than \ndid parents from other clusters. Results suggest support for early intervention and the use of \nfamily-centred intervention, particularly for families of children with communication delays.
Author: Kaarina M. Vogin
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1578773322