Changes in maternal attitudes and perceptions and children's communication skills

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Therapy

Background:

• Early communication disorders significantly impact young children and their families.
• Parental attitudes and perceptions can influence intervention outcomes.
• Family-centered approaches are increasingly recognized as vital in pediatric therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in maternal attitudes and perceptions during a 15-week speech-language therapy program for young children.
• To compare these maternal changes with supervisors' assessments of children's communication skills and speech clarity.
• To explore the relationship between parental perceptions and therapeutic progress in early communication intervention.

Main Methods:

• 17 children (ages 2;10–5;8) and their mothers participated in 15 weeks of individual speech-language therapy.
• Mothers and university supervisors completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires.
• Therapy involved graduate student clinicians and supervisors; no specific counseling targeted parental attitudes.

Main Results:

• Significant shifts were observed in mothers' pre- and post-intervention attitudes and perceptions.
• Supervisors noted significant improvements in children's overall communication and speech intelligibility.
• A significant correlation was found between changes in maternal perceptions and improvements in children's communication abilities.

Conclusions:

• Family-based therapy approaches are crucial for effective intervention in early childhood communication disorders.
• Positive parental engagement and perception shifts correlate with better child outcomes.
• Integrating family perspectives enhances the efficacy of speech-language pathology services for young children.