Parental hopes for therapy outcomes: Children with sensory modulation disorders

Objective. Understanding parents' hopes for therapy outcomes is essential t o family-centered care. This qualitative study explored parents' points of view regarding their hopes for the outcomes of occupational therapy rising a sensory integration treatment approach. Method. Data were collected as part of a larger research project on the eff ectiveness of rehabilitating children who have sensory modulation disorders . Five interviews were randomly selected from 17 parent interviews conducte d in the larger study. Data were analyzed rising grounded theory methods. Findings. Three themes pertinent to the occupations of children and two the mes related to the occupations of parenting and sustaining family life emer ged. Child-focused outcomes include social participation, self-regulation, and perceived competence. Parent-focused outcomes include learning strategi es to support children and obtaining personal validation. Discussion. Interventions are proposed that relate to children's participat ion in contexts in which they live, learn, and play, as well as the support of parents in the occupations of parenting.