Perspectives of Clinicians Involved in the RESTART-Study: Outcomes of a Focus Group.

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Clinical research
• Qualitative research methodology

Background:

• The Lidcombe Program and Demands and Capacities-based treatment are prominent approaches in pediatric speech therapy.
• Understanding clinician attitudes is crucial for effective therapy implementation and adoption.
• The RESTART-study provided a context to examine these evolving perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) attitudes and beliefs regarding the Lidcombe Program and Demands and Capacities-based treatment.
• To investigate how participation in the RESTART-study influenced these attitudes and beliefs.
• To identify factors contributing to changes in therapy preferences and utilization.

Main Methods:

• A focus group discussion was conducted with 13 participating SLPs.
• Discussions centered on therapy preferences, comparative attitudes towards treatments and manuals, and trial participation learnings.
• Qualitative data was collected to understand nuanced perspectives.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: shifts in treatment choice attitudes, altered beliefs about treatment efficacy, identification of success factors, and discussion of learning outcomes.
• SLPs reported increased professionalism and enhanced understanding of therapy potential.
• A notable change in attitude towards treatment selection was observed post-trial participation.

Conclusions:

• SLP attitudes and beliefs regarding specific speech therapy interventions evolve during randomized trials.
• Qualitative data collection is vital for understanding the dynamics of therapy adoption and utilization.
• Findings offer valuable insights for implementing trial results and training SLPs in evidence-based practices.