Self-Help By Parents For Children With Communication Disorders In Ghana

ABSTRACT

Parents who have children with communication disorders are likely to be key actors in taking independent actions to improve on the communication skills of their child. Studies in other countries have explored the self-help behaviors of parents with children with communication disorders (Tomasella, Maning & Dulmus, 2010). These studies concluded that parents play a leading role in helping children with communication disorders cope or improve upon their communication skills, provided the right parental intervention is given on time. There is limited information about self-help within the Ghanaian setting. Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, Marshall, Amponsah and Bampoe (2017), explored likely self-help behaviors in the general population using hypothetical scenarios. This study aimed to extend the work of Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, Marshall, Amponsah, & Bampoe, (2017) by asking parents who have directly experienced communication disorders with a child in their family to report on what they have done to help their children.

The objectives of this study were to describe self-help actions reportedly undertaken by families, to evaluate parental perceptions of the effectiveness of the self-help strategies used and describe how the self-help strategies were carried out to help children with communication disorders.

This research uses a descriptive survey, which incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data, to address the research questions.

All of the respondents indicated that they engaged and still engage in activities to help and support their children‟s communication needs.

Parents combined multiple self-help activities to support their child‟s development. This combination depends on what they feel best suited them and their children. The study also concludes that parents engaged in various ways of learning about their children and their

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difficulties. The study recommends that since parents are willing to learn on their own to support their children with communication disorders, they should be provided with information on communication disorders and how to manage a child with one.

Keywords: Communication disorder, Self-help, Diagnosis, Family intervention.