Parent-Mediated Interventions for 0 to 36-Month-Old Children With/At Risk for Developmental Disabilities: Parents’ Voices

Parent-mediated interventions (PMI) offer promising results for 0- to 36-month-old children with/at risk for developmental disabilities and their parents. However, studies investigating parents’ experiences with such programs are limited. This study aims to examine in depth the content and contextual framework of an early intervention program example (Routine Based Early Intervention Program [RBEI]) developed for children less than 36-month-old with/at risk for developmental disabilities and their parents. This phenomenological research examined the daily implementation experiences of parents participating in the RBEI program. 6 face-to-face interviews were conducted with parents, weekly notes corresponding to the research questions and collected by the intervention coordinator for each parent were brought together in this phenomenological study. The thematic analysis method was used for the data obtained. Findings showed the change in parents coming with eco-maps, compatibility of the intervention program with daily life, and improvement of daily life with functional goals, the critical role of the intervention coordinator in these changes that are in positive directions, development in parents’ interaction skills, and an observed increase and progress in child-focused outcomes. In future studies, regular and continuous feedback can be obtained from participating parents not only at the end of the intervention but also during the preparation phase of the program and the implementation process afterwards. The views of the other family members (such as fathers and siblings) about the intervention program can be asked. In addition, new studies can be conducted to expand components that are compatible with the daily lives of the child and parent, provide improvements in these lives, and support trust-based interaction between the parent and the interventionist across all parent-mediated intervention programs.