TY - JOUR
T1 - Therapy service delivery for children with disabilities during COVID-19
T2 - Parent perceptions and implementation recommendations
AU - Pinkerton, Linzy M.
AU - Murphy, Ashley
AU - Bruckner, Ellie
AU - Risser, Heather
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - This study identifies challenges and advantages parents faced in navigating therapy service delivery for their child with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of an online survey, 171 parents of children with disabilities answered four, free response questions regarding the therapy services their children received during the pandemic. A grounded theory approach was used to identify top challenges, barriers, advantages, and recommendations. Challenges included children's poor response to telehealth services, lack of parent training, and technological challenges. Advantages included fewer barriers to service access and increased family involvement. Parents largely recommended shorter, more frequent teletherapy sessions, and resuming in-person services. To improve parent engagement in, and the sustainability of, services, parent feedback should inform service delivery design and implementation. Incorporating parent feedback about service delivery can decrease disparities in access and increase parent engagement in child services both generally, and during periods of service disruption.
AB - This study identifies challenges and advantages parents faced in navigating therapy service delivery for their child with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of an online survey, 171 parents of children with disabilities answered four, free response questions regarding the therapy services their children received during the pandemic. A grounded theory approach was used to identify top challenges, barriers, advantages, and recommendations. Challenges included children's poor response to telehealth services, lack of parent training, and technological challenges. Advantages included fewer barriers to service access and increased family involvement. Parents largely recommended shorter, more frequent teletherapy sessions, and resuming in-person services. To improve parent engagement in, and the sustainability of, services, parent feedback should inform service delivery design and implementation. Incorporating parent feedback about service delivery can decrease disparities in access and increase parent engagement in child services both generally, and during periods of service disruption.
KW - COVID-19
KW - developmental disabilities
KW - health services accessibility
KW - health services for persons with disabilities
KW - healthcare disparities
KW - implementation science
KW - telemedicine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131751470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85131751470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jcop.22899
DO - 10.1002/jcop.22899
M3 - Article
C2 - 35695353
AN - SCOPUS:85131751470
SN - 0090-4392
VL - 51
SP - 2430
EP - 2441
JO - Journal of Community Psychology
JF - Journal of Community Psychology
IS - 6
ER -