Abstract
Background
Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood neurological disability, emerges in infancy, and primarily affects movement. Parental engagement and learning are critical components for successful outcomes within early intervention occupational therapy and physiotherapy for infants (<24 months) with emerging cerebral palsy. However, more research is needed to explore parental experiences and perspectives. This study aimed to explore the parental experience of engagement and learning in early intervention to develop knowledge for practice and research.
Methods
The study used grounded theory within constructivist and pragmatist perspectives. There were three phases of mixed qualitative design involving in-depth interviews, video case studies, two focus groups and a workshop. Thirty-seven participants (21 parents and 16 therapists) took part in the project. Thirty-six interviews were undertaken, and 16 sessions were videoed within three case studies.
Results
The grounded theorising provides an in-depth understanding of engagement and learning in early intervention, as related to parents. Three higher-level
insights include:
1. Parents’ traumatic and disrupted transition to parenthood affects parental framing of their engagement and learning throughout early intervention.
2. How parents perceive their emergent knowledge and expertise relative to the therapists’ (and vice versa) implicitly affects the negotiation of roles through micro-interaction.
3. Attention is drawn to tacit collaborative learning strategies within practice and is developed theoretically with novel connections to education theory, dialogical learning praxis.
Sociological critique probes social assumptions and relational power by considering sociocultural narratives and the healthcare context relevant to engagement and learning in early intervention.
Conclusion
This thesis provides novel theoretical contributions through a comprehensive and holistic explanation of the multidimensional nature of engagement and learning in early intervention for infants with cerebral palsy, focusing on parents. The theorising progresses discourse in early intervention literature. Proposed strategies are viable for practice implementation to optimise the learning partnerships between therapists and families. Overall, the applied theory will contribute to improvements in parent and infant outcomes.
Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood neurological disability, emerges in infancy, and primarily affects movement. Parental engagement and learning are critical components for successful outcomes within early intervention occupational therapy and physiotherapy for infants (<24 months) with emerging cerebral palsy. However, more research is needed to explore parental experiences and perspectives. This study aimed to explore the parental experience of engagement and learning in early intervention to develop knowledge for practice and research.
Methods
The study used grounded theory within constructivist and pragmatist perspectives. There were three phases of mixed qualitative design involving in-depth interviews, video case studies, two focus groups and a workshop. Thirty-seven participants (21 parents and 16 therapists) took part in the project. Thirty-six interviews were undertaken, and 16 sessions were videoed within three case studies.
Results
The grounded theorising provides an in-depth understanding of engagement and learning in early intervention, as related to parents. Three higher-level
insights include:
1. Parents’ traumatic and disrupted transition to parenthood affects parental framing of their engagement and learning throughout early intervention.
2. How parents perceive their emergent knowledge and expertise relative to the therapists’ (and vice versa) implicitly affects the negotiation of roles through micro-interaction.
3. Attention is drawn to tacit collaborative learning strategies within practice and is developed theoretically with novel connections to education theory, dialogical learning praxis.
Sociological critique probes social assumptions and relational power by considering sociocultural narratives and the healthcare context relevant to engagement and learning in early intervention.
Conclusion
This thesis provides novel theoretical contributions through a comprehensive and holistic explanation of the multidimensional nature of engagement and learning in early intervention for infants with cerebral palsy, focusing on parents. The theorising progresses discourse in early intervention literature. Proposed strategies are viable for practice implementation to optimise the learning partnerships between therapists and families. Overall, the applied theory will contribute to improvements in parent and infant outcomes.
| Original language | English |
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| Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisors/Advisors |
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| Award date | 16 Jun 2023 |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publication status | Submitted - 31 Jan 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |