Abstract
Importance: Parent education is essential to pediatric occupational therapy (OT), yet there is a paucity of research regarding how to best support parents as adult learners.
Objective: To explore the learning experiences of parents of children with sensory over-responsivity (SOR).
Methods: An embedded mixed-methods design was used. Sixteen parents of children with SOR, aged 3–8 years, were recruited using purposive sampling. All parents participated in group trainings; of these, nine participated in one-on-one interviews. Quantitative data included pre-intervention parenting self-efficacy (PSE) scores and post-intervention learner satisfaction measures. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore parents’ learning experiences during group trainings.
Intervention: Group trainings included varied learning opportunities focused on a problem-solving tool, A SECRET, to help parents support their children in varied contexts.
Results: Five themes were extracted from interview data: 1) Learning process, 2) Learning challenges, 3) Fluctuating PSE, 4) Peer support, and 5) Future training suggestions. Quantitative analysis indicated no correlation between PSE and learning satisfaction. Mixing of methods provided support for understanding fluctuating PSE.
Conclusions and Relevance: This study provides insight into parents' learning preferences and suggests A SECRET may enhance parent training. Findings indicate PSE may fluctuate for parents of children with SOR, warranting further investigation into both A SECRET's effectiveness and PSE's potential impact on parent learning.
Plain Language Summary:
In this study, authors explored parents’ learning needs and their sense of confidence in parenting skills. Parents participated in workshops focused on using a problem-solving tool (A SECRET) that is used to organize supports and strategies for their children with sensory over-responsivity. Parents took part in interviews, providing insights into their learning experiences. Results indicated that parents benefitted from having a structured framework (A SECRET) to organize information from the workshops. While some parents felt overwhelmed by the amount of information presented, they agreed that they appreciated different types of learning opportunities. Most parents reported their confidence in parenting fluctuated depending on their child’s behavior at any given moment. While this study was limited by its small size and lack of diversity, the findings suggest that therapists should consider using varied teaching methods and structured tools when educating parents. This information can help improve how therapists teach parents to support their children with sensory challenges.
DOI
10.32873/unmc.dc.tso.2.3.02
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Porter, L. M., Lane, S. J., Demchick, B. B., Sweeney, J. K., & Kearney, B. (2025). Exploration of Learning Preferences for Parents of Children with Sensory Over-Responsivity: A Mixed-Methods Study. Translational Science in Occupation, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.32873/unmc.dc.tso.2.3.02