Parental perceptions of the parent-therapist relationship: effects on outcomes of early intervention

Federal law mandates that early intervention (EI) programs provide care using a family-centered model. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate (a) the relationship that develops between physical therapists and parents during EI and (b) a possible link between this relationship and EI outcomes. Thirty-nine parents of children with identified motor delays participated in this study. Data were collected through use of standardized measures and surveys developed for the study. Results of one-way ANOVA indicated that parents in the collaborative typology experienced significantly less stress and higher levels of parenting competence than parents in the distant typology. Parents in the collaborative typology also reported their EI program was more family centered. Child outcomes as related to the relationship typology were not significant, but the trend observed suggests further study is warranted. These findings suggest that measuring two specific relationship characteristics, satisfaction and control, may be helpful when trying to conceptualize and evaluate the parent-therapist relationship. This relationship evaluation may provide guidance to clinicians seeking to develop more collaborative relationships with families.