The Impact of Culture and Socioeconomic Status on Family-Professional Collaboration: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

In this study, challenges to family-professional collaboration related to cultural diversity and socioeconomic status (SES) were identified by 26 professionals from early intervention programs through the use of an interview guide and case vignettes. The guide included structured and open-ended questions, and two case vignettes were used to identify solutions to problem situations. Professionals reported that they spend more time with families from different cultural backgrounds in eliciting concerns, in attempting to understand their needs and customs, and in explaining the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process. They also reported that families from lower SES and educational backgrounds were often concerned with basic survival needs, such as housing, and, consequently, tended to (a) defer to professionals' judgments when setting IFSP goals, (b) have difficulty in identifying their child's needs, and (c) show reluctance in sharing information. Although this study needs replication with larger samples of professionals, the findings provide important insights into how professionals view the impact of cultural diversity and SES on family-professional collaboration.