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Starting digital early parent-directed communication intervention in an on-site group led by speech therapists: perception of parents and nurses [PCC283]

Wednesday May 6, 2026 12:15 - 17:00 Poster Arena

Presenter: Felicia Johansson

Track: Poster session, Children & Youth

Research on the effects of early digital intervention for parents of children with communication disabilities show promising results. This was also seen in a study of the swedish self-managed digital intervention ComAlong online on 1177, providing parents of young children with identified communication difficulties, knowledge about communication and supportive strategies. However, challenges related to the introduction and independent use was also identified resulting in scattered use. This study explored the effects of introducing ComAlong online during two 2-hour group sessions located at the families’ local child healthcare center and led by speech-language pathologists from the central child health care services. During the introductory session the parents were guided in accessing ComAlong online on their smartphones and understanding the structure and content. This was followed by training in the use of responsive strategies. The second session held one week later included group discussion of the home assignment applying the strategies at home, followed by training of new strategies based on enhanced milieu teaching and the use of pictorial support. Semi-structured interviews with five parents and seven child healthcare nurses, held after about eight weeks, were analyzed thematically. The results showed that the parents perceived the sessions as informative and supported their use of ComAlong online. Another theme focused a feeling of affinity emerging from meeting other parents in a similar situation. Several parents also reported that both their own and their children’s communication had been positively affected. The nurses perceived that the introduction facilitated the parents’ use of the program as well as their own use of ComAlong online. Both parents and nurses expressed a need for additional support from speech-language pathologists. The results indicate that digital communication intervention is more effective when it is combined with on-site intervention, in this case only two sessions, but that more research is needed.
Language

English

Conference

GCPCC

GCPCC Code

PCC283

Lecturers

Felicia Johansson Presenter

Felicia Johansson, Maja Roslund, Gunilla Thunberg, Sandra Östberg, Anna Lundgren