ERIC Number: EJ1386537
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Aug
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Quality and Accessibility of Written Development Assessment Reports Provided to Caregivers in a Publicly Funded Child Developmental Assessment Service
Munro, Martha; Boulton, Kelsie A.; Phillips, Natalie; Hodge, M. Antoinette; Ong, Natalie; Coghill, David; Silove, Natalie; Guastella, Adam J.
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v27 n6 p1764-1776 Aug 2023
Despite long wait times, public paediatric developmental assessment services remain crucial for the assessment of vulnerable children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Assessment represents a critical opportunity to guide the placement of supports to improve functioning and developmental trajectories. There is, however, a lack of research examining how multi-disciplinary assessment services conduct assessments, synthesise results and provide reports to families. This study retrospectively examined 85 reports provided to caregivers at a multi-disciplinary developmental assessment service. Reports were evaluated for whether they: (1) addressed caregiver perceived needs; (2) used available data to provide appropriate information about child needs; (3) provided recommendations that were actionable and specific to needs; (4) had appropriate readability levels; and (5) followed existing autism assessment guidelines. Findings showed clinicians were more focused on autism diagnostic needs while caregivers were more focused on multiple transdiagnostic needs. Recommendations provided in the reports that were related to autism diagnoses were specific and actionable, but reports rarely addressed transdiagnostic needs or comorbidities (e.g. cognitive impairments, mental health). For instance, only 13% of reports contained recommendations for conditions other than autism spectrum disorder, despite 61% of the population receiving two or more diagnoses. Reports largely followed autism assessment guidelines, but the language used was more complex for families than what is typically recommended. Recommendations for future practice are provided to improve the quality of reports and to better meet the needs of children and families attending developmental assessment services.
Descriptors: Child Caregivers, Child Development, Health Services, Needs Assessment, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Clinical Diagnosis, Reports, Content Analysis, Readability, Guidelines, Language Usage, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A