QualitativeJournal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP2025

Developmental Behavioral Clinicians' Perspectives on Education Transitions for Young Children With Developmental Disorders.

Sally S Cohen, Jennie Olson, Timothy C Guetterman

PMID 40456102

WHAT IT FOUND

Clinicians reported that education transitions for children with disabilities are often derailed by communication gaps between health and school systems.

Key barriers included mismatched diagnostic models, lack of interpreter access, and staff shortages that prevent clinicians from attending IEP meetings or coordinating care.

Key findings

01Communication between health care and education teams is often hindered by different professional languages and models, such as schools requiring their own assessments even after a clinical diagnosis.

02A major systemic barrier is the shortage of developmental behavioral pediatrics clinicians, leading to wait lists often exceeding one year and preventing timely coordination with schools.

03Families face significant navigation burdens, including language barriers and lack of interpreters, which clinicians report exacerbates delays in accessing necessary educational services.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they found

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What it does not show

The sample was small (n=25) and drawn primarily from SDBP members, leading to selection bias. Participants were predominantly White and practiced in urban areas, limiting generalizability to rural or diverse populations. Occupational therapists, physical therapists, and social workers were underrepresented in the sample. The study did not include perspectives from general pediatric clinicians, families, or educators.

Declared interests

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was reviewed and approved by New York University's institutional review board. Participants received a $50 Amazon gift card.

The easy way to misread this

Do not interpret these findings as evidence of intervention efficacy. The study describes clinicians' perceptions of barriers and facilitators in transition processes. It does not measure patient outcomes or prove that specific coordination strategies improve educational or health results for children with developmental disabilities.

Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →


The study

Participants
25 participants
Certainty of evidence
Very low

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    Sally S Cohen, Jennie Olson, Timothy C Guetterman Developmental Behavioral Clinicians' Perspectives on Education Transitions for Young Children With Developmental Disorders. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP. 2025.

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