Resource utilization by children with developmental disabilities in Kenya: discrepancy analysis of parents’ expectation-to-importance appraisals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe parental perceptions of eight physical and human resources available to meet the needs of children with developmental disabilities in Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed the discrepancy between the importance parents attached to specified resources and the expected use of those resources by their children with developmental disabilities. Discrepancy analysis was conducted on parents’ expectation-to-importance appraisals of eight resources identified in previous research including, health, education, friendships, husband/wife, religious organization, community membership/acceptance, employment/work, and home. Overall, parental appraisal of likely access-to-importance was significantly related across all eight physical and human resource areas. Discrepancy scores ranged from negative, through zero, to positive, categorized under-utilized, congruent, and over-utilized, respectively. Chi-square analyses were non-significant for gender across all resources with only slight gender differences noted on three resources. Most parents reported a match between expected use and importance in five of the eight community resources; health (57.4%), friends (54.6%), religious affiliation (59.8%), acceptance in the community (60.3%), and having one’s own home (62.6%). However, “husband/wife” fell outside the congruent range (50.4%), with slight gender differences noted. Finally, two resource areas where the majority of parents reported non-congruence were educational programs and employment/career service.