Enhancing Parent-Child Interaction and Self-Efficacy in Motor Skills Development for Young Children with...

Background/Objectives: The present study investigated the effects of parental participation in home program intervention on parent-child interactions, parental self-efficacy, and the goal attainment of children with developmental delays in motor skills. Methods: While the interviews consisted of qualitative data, quantitative analyses were applied to the results, making this a mixed-methods study. Participants were 2-6-year-old young children and their families. Twenty-three parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 13) or a comparison group (n = 10). Outcomes were evaluated using the Parent-Child Interaction Questionnaire and Parental Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Results: Improvements in parental self-efficacy and in the Goal Attainment Scale scores of the children were evident in the posttest, whereas no evidence of differences in improvement was found in parent-child interactions between the intervention and comparison groups on the pretest and posttest. Conclusions: Parent collaboration with therapists has a significant impact on achieving functional goals for young children, and parental involvement in intervention programs effectively enhances parental self-efficacy.