The steps to develop an instrument to measure attitudes about afamily-centered approach and factors influencing therapists' responses are reported.Key words: instrument development. sources of influence on beliefs about practice
AbstractThe steps taken to develop an attitude-gauging instrument which is consistent with a family-centered approach in early interoeniion are reported. Data provided by occupational therapists (N=319) in two pilot studies were used to support reliability and validity of the questionnaire, Issues in Early Intervention (lEI). Also, factors that may influence how occupational therapists, attending workshops on early interueniion, responded to the questionnaire are reported. A regression model was able to explain 25% of the variance of the total score for lEI. The results suggest that geographic region and employment experience characteristics have small but significant influence on respondents' attitudes.
This article describes the development of a questionnaire used to measure occupational therapists' self-rating of performance in working with families in early interoention.
AbstractHow well the typical workshop meets professionals' needs to acquire new knowledge and maintain a high level of competence has been questioned. To adequately document the outcome of workshops, well designed evaluation measures are essential. This article discusses the development of a seifrating tool to assess participant change after a workshop on working with families who havea child receiving earlyinteroention seroices. One anticipated outcome of the workshop is that the therapist will indicate a higher level of performance in areas related to working with families. Prior to its use the evaluation tool's reliability and validity were examined.
The pace of new developments and policies related to medical and allied health practice underscores the importance of efficient and effective continuing education. But the literature contains little in the way of research to document and assess the effectiveness of continuing education programs or to examine the complex process of professional change. The main purpose of the study was to assess the attitudinal change of professionals who attended a continuing education program on family-centered cure. This program was developed by a national professional organization in response to federal legislation promoting major changes in the delivery of early intervention services. A description of the program and rationale for its development are presented. The evaluation was conducted in collaboration with a university-based personnel preparation institute. Demographic, work, and professional experience variables were included in the multivariate analysis along with participants' evaluation of the workshop and their assessment of family-centered attitudes before and after the continuing education program. Multiple regression first identified factors associated with professionals' preworkshop attitudes toward family-centered care. A second analysis examined their change in attitudes after the workshop. The final model explained 53 percent of the variance in postworkshop atti-
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