The Efficacy of Parent Training Interventions with Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Enhancing caregivers self-management for their children who require medical technology: A feasibility study for the COPE-STAR intervention

PURPOSE

To test feasibility of the Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment: Symptom and Technology Management Resources intervention for caregivers of children who require medical technologies of tracheostomies and feeding tubes.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Quasi-experimental one group design with measures at baseline and at 4 weeks. Intervention feasibility was tested from August 2019-June 2021, including recruitment, retention, and adherence, and caregiver satisfaction. Caregiver and child characteristics and outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

Caregivers were enrolled (n = 22) and completed (n = 16) the study. Caregivers were primarily female (n = 21), were predominately Caucasian (n = 14, 64%) followed by African-American (n = 8, 36%), and Non-Hispanic/Latino (n = 18, 82%). Feasibility indicators of recruitment (92%), retention (73%), and adherence (100%) were satisfactory. Outcome measures of management of child's chronic condition, caregiver beliefs about managing their child's symptoms and medical technology, anxiety, and depressive symptoms remained stable. Caregivers agreed that the intervention was useful, easy to use, and acceptable, and had positive feedback.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a feasible and acceptable intervention. With further development and efficacy testing, the intervention has potential for use and expansion to a larger population of caregivers of children who require medical technology.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Children who require medical technology have multiple complex chronic conditions and complex care needs at home. This intensive and focused care is provided by informal caregivers who need education and resources for their child's care. This intervention addressed caregiver management of common symptoms and medical technologies of children in the home setting.

Caregiver education programme on intellectual and developmental disabilities: An acceptability and feasibility study in an academic medical setting

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including autism spectrum disorder, benefit from a variety of specialized interventions. However, there are barriers that impact families' ability to access such services for their children. While not intended as a replacement for individualized or group-based interventions, educational classes may be an option in providing supplemental resources and support to families of individuals with I/DD. This study was a programme evaluation that examined the feasibility and acceptability of a Caregiver Education Program that was created in an outpatient specialty clinic of an academic medical centre, designed to provide educational information on a variety of topics relevant to children and adolescents with I/DD (e.g., toilet training, understanding behaviour and managing anxiety).

METHOD

The review included 1027 participants from 40 classes led by licensed clinicians, trainees, and/or experienced caregivers. Classes occurred approximately one time per month over the course of three-and-a-half years and targeted caregivers of children and adolescents with I/DD and community-based professionals in the field of I/DD. Participants were able to attend one or multiple classes, based on their interest in the given topic. Participants were asked to complete post-training surveys at the end of each session as part of ongoing programme evaluation.

RESULTS

Participants reported a high level of satisfaction and increased knowledge as a result of participating in classes, and higher knowledge gained and higher satisfaction for in-person classes compared to virtual classes.

CONCLUSIONS

This programme is one model of education delivery with high acceptability and feasibility, designed to support families and increase access to information beyond specialized interventions. Future directions include improving the model of programme data collection, examination of the programme's generalization to practice and to other communities, and an emphasis on culturally responsive curricula.