Date of Conferral
3-13-2024
Date of Award
March 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Health Services
Advisor
Tolulope Osoba
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition in childhood impacting children globally and involving entire families. It has far-reaching effects on the U.S. healthcare system, communities, and school systems. Recent reports from the CDC reveal that one in 44 children is diagnosed with ASD, emphasizing the need for professional interventions to support the development and well-being of autistic children. However, the existing literature is sparse when it comes to understanding how therapies provided by licensed practitioners are perceived as successful from the standpoint of parents. To address this gap, I undertook secondary data analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health dataset. The health belief model framework served as the foundation to explore how parents perceive communication between themselves and individual providers working with their autistic children, as well as the frustration experienced by parents. Logistic regression results showed that the independent variable of frustration accessing services was inversely related to parental satisfaction with healthcare provider communication. Implications for positive social change include utilizing study outcomes to refine provider approaches, promote cultural sensitivity, and enhance the healthcare reimbursement system to deliver professional and best practice interventions.
Recommended Citation
ESCORCIA, DAVID, "Parental Satisfaction with Provider Communication and Interventions for their Autistic" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15516.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15516
