It is important to understand the significant factors that predict parent satisfaction of school based mental health services. These factors are vital as they can decrease attrition rates regarding treatment and can improve the overall quality of services in school based settings. The purpose of this study is to examine the predictors of parent satisfaction by utilizing secondary data acquired from the Ontario-Montclair School District. The measurement instrument utilized was a 10 question survey that included 8 Likert-style questions and one free response question. This study utilized an independent samples t-test which found that school type and language had no significant impact on overall parent satisfaction. This study also utilized a Pearson r correlation coefficient and found that length of sessions, number of sessions, information given, contact with counselor, behavioral outcome and timeliness all have significant positive relationships with overall satisfaction. Lastly, a multiple linear regression was utilized and found that the three strongest predictors of overall satisfaction were behavioral outcome, timeliness of services and information given. Findings from the study can provide social work practitioners with information on how to improve their service delivery in a school setting. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.

The research study proposed in this report reviews and integrates the literature on client/parent satisfaction with Therapeutic Assessment. Specifically, the importance of parent collaboration and the intervention potential of child assessment are highlighted. The result is the development of a parent self-report measure that could be utilized in multiple settings to assess the interpersonal and collaborative experiences of parents. It is these experiences of parents which have been shown to be more highly related to general satisfaction than outcomes or demographics. The methodology includes Confirmatory Factor Analysis to revise the scale and MANCOVA to compare traditional assessment with collaborative/therapeutic assessment practices in multiple settings. / text

Much research and media attention in recent years has focused on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), a pervasive developmental disorder that impacts children in multiple areas of their lives. Early identification and intervention, as well as access to mental health, behavioral, and pediatric services for this population are crucial to their later outcomes and quality of life (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001; Blane & Borden, 2008; Jacobson & Mulick, 2000; Rogers & Vismara, 2008). Unfortunately, research suggests that access to educational services may be complicated for individuals living in rural areas (Applequist, 2009; Collins et al., 2005, Ludlow, Conner, & Schechter 2005; Pennington, Horn & Berrong, 2009). Therefore, the purpose of this project was to investigate education services for children with ASD in rural areas. Education services were assessed via a survey of 42 parents of children with ASD and a review of educational records. Contrary to previous research, results from this study indicated that parents in more rural areas reported more satisfaction with educational counseling services and a lower age of diagnosis when compared to parents in more urban areas. Similarly, parents in more rural areas reported a higher number of services and more frequent educational counseling services (i.e., more direct service hours) compared to parents in more urban areas. Results of this study were interpreted from an adapted version of Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Access to Care. Possible explanations for these findings, as well as limitations, directions for future research, and implications are discussed.

This study seeks to examine low income, minority parents' perceptions of after school programs. The independent variables in the study were parental perceptions of supervision, communication, resources, transportation, program content and student academic engagement. The dependent variable was parental satisfaction with after school programs. A quantitative survey was distributed to all parents of students participating in the after school programs of four Title 1 schools in a large metropolitan Atlanta school system with over 70% student eligibility for free or reduced lunch and 85% minority student enrollment. One hundred eighty after school program parents responded to the survey through their child's daily communication planner. The results of the study indicated that there is a statistically significant relationship between parental satisfaction and each of the independent variables of supervision, communication, resources, transportation, program content and student academic engagement. A regression analysis found that the most impacting variables on parental satisfaction were program content, communication and transportation. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that after school programs that serve low income, minority families should ensure that transportation, effective student monitoring and structured activities are components of their program. After school programs that serve low income, minority families should provide safe methods of transportation from the after school site to the home of program participants. Finally, after school programs that serve low income, minority families should establish and maintain structured learning opportunities for program participants that include scheduled activities, active instruction and assistance by the after school teacher and an orderly classroom environment that allows participants to complete their assignments without distractions or interruptions from other participants.

The researcher examined the relationships between tuberous sclerosis, a multi-system genetic disorder, and school functioning through the use of a parent questionnaire and behavior rating scale. Information was gathered on the typical school experiences of children with tuberous sclerosis, including educational placement and services, behavioral functioning, parent involvement, and parent satisfaction. The results indicated that the majority of students with tuberous sclerosis are in special education and receiving related services. Three-quarters received one or more related services through the public school, and 30% received private related services paid for by their parents. Parent involvement was positively correlated with parent satisfaction, and negatively correlated with t-scores on the Withdrawn/Depressed subscale of the CBCL. Parents of children receiving Autism services were generally less satisfied with their children's school experiences than other parents. Parent satisfaction was negatively correlated with the Attention Problems scale of the CBCL. Student age was negatively correlated with time in inclusion and with related services. This information forms the basis for a discussion of school psychologists' roles in the educational success of students with tuberous sclerosis and the critical areas towards which interventions should be directed.

This research examines parents’ perceptions of quality on early childhood services as they support families in the care and education of children. Data were collected from parents of under school-aged children using interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. Data analysis has enabled a determination of: the link between parents’ perceptions of quality and early childhood professionals’ views as expressed in the literature; parents’ satisfaction with services and the evaluation processes used by them; opportunities available to parents to engage with service staff to influence the quality of the services provided; and parents’ knowledge and use of the information services provided by the National Childcare Accreditation Council to assist them in their decision making regarding early childhood services. Results showed that communication between parents and staff is problematic. An accretion model of communication is developed to enhance the quality of early childhood services by promoting shared understanding and values between parents and staff, enabling parents to take part in decision making and minimising perceptions of threat to staff’s professional integrity / University of Western Sydney

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Includes vita. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 137 pages. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The researcher examined the relationships between tuberous sclerosis, a multi-system genetic disorder, and school functioning through the use of a parent questionnaire and behavior rating scale. Information was gathered on the typical school experiences of children with tuberous sclerosis, including educational placement and services, behavioral functioning, parent involvement, and parent satisfaction. The results indicated that the majority of students with tuberous sclerosis are in special education and receiving related services. Three-quarters received one or more related services through the public school, and 30% received private related services paid for by their parents. Parent involvement was positively correlated with parent satisfaction, and negatively correlated with t-scores on the Withdrawn/Depressed subscale of the CBCL. / ABSTRACT: Parents of children receiving Autism services were generally less satisfied with their children's school experiences than other parents. Parent satisfaction was negatively correlated with the Attention Problems scale of the CBCL. Student age was negatively correlated with time in inclusion and with related services. This information forms the basis for a discussion of school psychologists' roles in the educational success of students with tuberous sclerosis and the critical areas towards which interventions should be directed. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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Children with complex health problems who are dependent upon medical technology require frequent hospitalizations, during which parents must make difficult decisions regarding their child’s care. Although principles of “family-centred care” have been widely adopted by paediatric hospitals, studies indicate that many parents are dissatisfied with their roles in decisions about their child’s care. Pierre Bourdieu’s Logic of Practice, specifically his concepts of field, capital, and habitus, as they relate to cultural and symbolic capital within the field of pediatric medicine, were used to guide the design of a parent briefing intervention aimed at improving parents’ satisfaction with decision making. Briefings were conducted during daily hospital rounds. Physicians and nurses were asked to sit while using a checklist as a communication guide. A two-part study was conducted to determine feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of a parent briefing. One component was a psychometric evaluation of an instrument to measure parents’ satisfaction with decision making. The other was a phase I single group, post-test study of the parent briefing. Eighty-two parents of children admitted to an in-patient unit in a large metropolitan pediatric health centre, with an expected length of stay ≥ 3 days, completed the Family Satisfaction with Decision Making (FS/DM) subscale and the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) prior to discharge. A subgroup of parents participated in the parent briefing study. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of the FS/DM was 0.87, and it was inversely correlated with the DCS (r2= -0.635, p<0.0001). Eighteen physicians, 25 nurses, and 31 parents participated in the phase I trial of the briefing intervention. Sixty-eight out of an expected 93 briefings were carried out as per study protocol. Nineteen parents did not receive the required “dose” of the study intervention. Mean time to complete the intervention was 11.9 minutes (SD = 6.9). Parents and nurses rated the acceptability and usefulness of the intervention favourably, whereas physicians’ ratings were mixed. The FS/DM instrument is a suitable primary outcome measure for an RCT. However, more work needs to be done, to ensure the feasibility of the intervention, including more intensive clinician training.