Dai, Kristy and Ma, Amanda and Sotelo, Lorely and Stearns, Alicia (2021) The effect of telehealth occupational therapy services on the stress and self-efficacy of caregivers of children with special needs: a survey study. Masters thesis, Stanbridge University.
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way families of children with special needs receive care. With many clinics closing their doors and limiting face-to-face sessions, patients, healthcare professionals, clients, and caregivers were forced to abruptly shift from an in-person to a telehealth (TH) service delivery model. The purpose of this survey study was to explore the effects of pediatric TH occupational therapy on stress and self-efficacy of caregivers of young children with special needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected from 13 caregivers of children with special needs (11 English-speaking; two Spanish-speaking) between April 27 and May 21, 2021, via a 10-question anonymous online survey. The survey was a combination of Likert-scale, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions regarding caregiver primary stressors, stress levels before and after receiving TH, service delivery preference, and the advantages and disadvantages of TH. 10 out of the 13 participants preferred in-person therapy to TH therapy and were equally likely to report the same stress levels to TH before and after TH occupational therapy sessions. Top stressors for caregivers included lack of time, finances, working from or outside the home, and caring for multiple family members. The results suggest that caregiver self-efficacy and stress levels increased as caregivers became more involved in a child’s therapy though we hypothesized that caregiver stress would decrease and self-efficacy would increase with TH occupational therapy. Our survey findings indicate a need for greater consideration for family-centered TH treatment that addresses caregiver burden and the creation of standardized caregiver coaching for TH occupational therapists.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RC Internal medicine |
| Depositing User: | Institutional Administrator |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jan 2022 21:22 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Jan 2022 21:22 |
| URI: | http://repository.stanbridge.edu/id/eprint/88 |
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