Caregivers' perspectives of early developmental tele-assessments in challenging circumstances.
Maria N Du Toit, Renata Eccles, Kailin Westwood and 2 others
PMID 39099281WHAT IT FOUND
Most caregivers found remote developmental assessment safe, convenient and as natural as in-person.
But over half still preferred face-to-face checks. A hybrid model using video and caregiver questionnaires may bridge this gap.
Key findings
0196.7% of caregivers reported a positive experience with the tele-assessment, and 90% said they would use it again.
02Despite the positive experience, 53.8% of caregivers who elaborated on viability stated a clear preference for direct, face-to-face developmental assessment of their children.
03Caregivers identified safety from infection, convenience and resource savings as the main practical benefits of the remote format.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=30) and highly homogeneous: all participants were mothers, mostly from high socio-economic backgrounds in one province. There was no comparison group and no in-person assessment was conducted, so the accuracy of the tele-assessment results could not be validated against a standard. The study only measured caregiver perspectives and satisfaction, not the clinical validity or diagnostic accuracy of the assessment itself.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high caregiver satisfaction means the tele-assessment is clinically equivalent to in-person evaluation. The study did not compare results to face-to-face assessments, and over half of the caregivers who explained their views still preferred in-person checks.