Determinants of parental satisfaction with disclosure of disability

Parental satisfaction with the process of disclosure of disability was investigated in interviews with 103 parents of children with severe physical disability. Only 37 per cent of parents were satisfied with disclosure. Parents were more likely to be satisfied if they felt that the professional carrying out the disclosure had a sympathetic, understanding and approachable manner, and was direct and communicated well; if they had been given sufficient information and opportunities to ask questions; and if they were from a manual social-class background. Factors in the procedure of the disclosure, such as the timing, were not significantly related to satisfaction. These results demonstrate the importance of the parent-professional interaction and point towards an increased emphasis on communication skills in medical training.