Supporting Early Communication Skills of Children with Developmental Disorders in South Africa: Caregiver and Clinician Perspectives about Mobile Health Applications.
Juan Bornman, MaryAnn Romski, Marika King and 2 others
PMID 34017156WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers and speech-language pathologists in South Africa had different views on a communication app.
Caregivers wanted it to teach them strategies. Pathologists worried it would replace human interaction. Both agreed the app must be free, use little data, and be in the family's first language.
Key findings
01Caregivers viewed the app as a tool for empowerment and skill-building, while speech-language pathologists feared it might replace traditional therapy.
02Cost and data usage were primary concerns for both groups, with caregivers willing to spend very little and pathologists preferring free apps.
03Participants emphasized that the app must use culturally appropriate materials and be available in the family's first language.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study explored hypothetical perspectives on an app that did not exist, so it cannot show whether such an app would actually work or be used. The sample was small and limited to one province in South Africa, so findings may not apply to other regions or countries. The groups were separated, so the study did not observe how caregivers and clinicians would negotiate these differing views in practice.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were reported in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that caregivers and clinicians want the same features in a communication app. The study found very little overlap between the two groups. Caregivers wanted empowerment through learning strategies, while clinicians were concerned about maintaining the therapeutic relationship. Designing an app based on only one perspective will likely fail with the other.