Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are responsible for deciding which interventions to implement with their child. There is limited research examining parental decision-making with regards to intervention approaches. A constructivist grounded theory methodology was implemented in this study. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 14 participants from 12 family units. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently, allowing a grounded theory to be constructed. Parental decision-making was influenced by many factors, arranged into seven core categories (values, experience, information, motivation, understanding, needs and logistics). Decision-making evolved over time, as parents transformed from 'parent' to 'expert'. The results of this study provide an insight into parental decision-making, which has implications for the support provided to parents by health professionals.
The results of this study highlight the importance of carefully considering how health messages, specifically the importance of EI, are communicated to families of children with ASD. Furthermore, the findings of this study also highlight the need for allied health professionals to communicate openly with parents about the anticipated outcomes of EI programmes.
While parents of children with ASD identified a range of qualities that they want in therapists, a therapist being able to produce positive outcomes for their child was considered most important. The implications of these findings are discussed both in terms of clinical implications for therapists and directions for future research.
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