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Published on: June 20, 2020
Caregiver experiences of developmental screening
Dorian E Traube1, Abigail Palmer Molina1, Amanda Taylor1
1University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social work, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Insights
Caregivers value developmental screening for early detection and intervention. Enhancing preparation and follow-up processes can improve parental engagement and satisfaction with developmental screening services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
- Health Services Research
Background:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocates for universal developmental screening and surveillance to improve early detection and intervention for children.
- Despite documented benefits, screening rates remain suboptimal, with persistent gaps in effective follow-up and referral to early intervention (EI) services.
- Limited research exists on the experiences of parents and children during developmental screening, hindering improvements in early detection and EI referral.
Purpose of the Study:
- To qualitatively explore the experiences of caregivers and children undergoing developmental screening across various service sectors.
- To understand the types of screening, locations, in-process experiences, and post-screening interventions received by families.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive qualitative design was employed, involving individual interviews with 31 caregivers.
- Thematic analysis was used to categorize caregiver reflections on developmental screening events, covering pre-screening, during-screening, and post-screening phases.
Main Results:
- Five key themes emerged: parent goals for screening, preparation and support, parent/child responses, result reporting and follow-up, and overall satisfaction.
- Caregivers recognize the significance of developmental screening and report positive responses from both parents and children across diverse settings.
- Information from screening is valued for planning a child's developmental trajectory, with noted areas for improvement in preparation and follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Caregivers perceive developmental screening as important and respond positively to it in various contexts.
- Improvements in screening preparation and follow-up are crucial for enhancing parental engagement and satisfaction.
- Addressing these areas can optimize the effectiveness of developmental screening and referral to early intervention services.
Background:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has called for a universal system of developmental screening and surveillance to enhance early detection and intervention for children. While the need and potential impact of universal screening is well documented, recent reports show that screening rates have not reached expected goals and gaps remain in terms of effective follow-up and referral to early intervention (EI) services. Few studies have explored parent and child experiences of developmental screening, which would aid researchers, practitioners and policymakers in improving early detection and referral to EI. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of caregivers and children who received developmental screening across different service sectors, including the type of screening received, location of screening, experiences during the screening process and the follow-up interventions received following screening.
Methods:
Individual interviews were conducted with 31 caregivers. A descriptive qualitative design allowed for the exploration of caregiver experiences with developmental screening. Thematic analysis was utilized to categorize caregiver reflections prior to, during and following developmental screening events.
Results:
Analysis revealed five themes that described caregivers' experiences with screening and assessment for their child: (1) parent's goals of screening; (2) screening preparation and support; (3) parent/child response to screening; (4) result reporting and follow-up; (5) overall satisfaction with screening process. Each theme was composed of several subthemes.
Conclusions:
Caregivers see the importance of developmental screening, caregivers and children respond well to screening delivered by various providers in multiple settings and caregivers find the information gleaned from screening events important in planning for their child's developmental trajectory. Key places where improvements can be made to further bolster parental engagement and satisfaction include screening preparation and follow-up.
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