The Social Validity of Telepractice among Spanish-Speaking Caregivers of English Learners: An Examination of Moderators.

Lisa Fitton,Carla Wood,Kristina N Bustamante

doi:10.5195/ijt.2017.6227

Lisa Fitton, Carla Wood + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2017.6227

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Abstract

The purpose of the present paper was to examine the social validity of telepractice as a service delivery model for Spanish-speaking families of English learners. Quantitative survey methodology was employed to examine 79 caregivers’ opinions regarding telepractice and to obtain background information about participants’ home environments. Findings revealed that approximately 46% of the participant sample reported being interested in their children receiving services via telepractice. Caregivers reported limited familiarity with telepractice as an option, but were likely to express interest if their child had an identified speech or language disorder or if they were interested in increased access to Spanish language support for their children. In conclusion, although telepractice is not universally accepted among Spanish-speaking families, it appears to be a promising service delivery model. It is recommended that service providers offer thorough information and address common myths when considering telepractice as a service delivery model for families.

Highlights

The purpose of the present paper was to examine the social validity of telepractice as a service delivery model for Spanishspeaking families of English learners
Families of children who had been diagnosed with a speech or language disorder were more likely to express interest in telepractice services, and those who expressed interest in receiving Spanish language support were more likely to be interested in telepractice
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the social validity of telepractice as a potential service delivery model for Spanish-speaking families of English learners, and to identify moderators of families’ interest in telepractice

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of the present paper was to examine the social validity of telepractice as a service delivery model for Spanishspeaking families of English learners. In 2012, over 60% of speechlanguage pathologists in the United States reported having at least one EL on their caseloads (ASHA) As attention to this linguistic minority grows, an increasing number of educators and service providers are encountering barriers that obstruct effective service delivery to ELs. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the social validity of telepractice, a promising approach proposed to address some of these challenges. According to the ASHA Code of Ethics, service providers who feel unqualified to support individuals from different linguistic backgrounds should refer these individuals to other professionals (ASHA, 2016) The rationale for this referral requirement can be found by considering the compounding problems of a linguistic mismatch between professionals and ELs’ caregivers, when caregivers have limited English proficiency. Accurate identification of language impairment and progress in therapy (Justice & Ezell, 2000; Roberts, Jurgens, & Burchinal, 2005), poor access to bilingual services can negatively affect child outcomes

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