17th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 18-20, 2018 • Denver, CO
| Pilot Study: Early Intervention Services for Infants, Toddlers, and Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in a Sample of Puerto Rican Professionals and Caregivers
Pilot Study: Early Intervention Services for Infants, Toddlers, and Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in a Sample of Puerto Rican Professionals and Caregivers
Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and is required to follow all federal laws; such as The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other laws that mandate services in education and early intervention. The Health Department of Puerto Rico, Law #311 established in 2003, states that children who have a hearing difference need to be screened, diagnosed, and provided with early intervention by six months of age. Even though the law dictates that services need to be provided, there are limited studies in early intervention services in the island of Puerto Rico.
A research study conducted by Peréz Rodríguez (2014) in Puerto Rico found that families who had deaf children in Puerto Rico had high expectations for their children’s usage of cochlear implantation. It was also found that parents who sought services, whether for children ages 0-3 (early intervention) or ages 3 and up, tended to have a good relationship with professionals. Another study by Marrero Vélez (2014) found that health professionals in Puerto Rico are not well informed of comorbid diagnoses, like deafblindness. Both studies found that regardless of the limited knowledge of many professionals, families felt supported by them. Both studies also noted that practitioners and parents had limited resources about children with hearing differences.
This pilot qualitative research study recruited three professionals and three caregivers that live in Puerto Rico. They were interviewed to understand their perspectives on early intervention from a professional and a caregiver standpoint to highlight the strengths, challenges, and needs Puerto Rican early intervention services face. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, various themes emerged relating to their perspectives in communication, resources, and to the supports that they have received and continued to need.
- To identify the issues and challenges that some families with diverse backgrounds and experiences face from the time of newborn hearing screening/referral through early intervention and transition to preschool.
- To understand the perspectives of Puerto Rican early interventionists when providing services to their consumers
- To understand the strengths, challenges, and needs Puerto Rican early intervention services face.
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Presenters/Authors
Jesus Barreto Abrams
(), Gallaudet University, jesus.barreto-abrams@gallaudet.edu;
Jesús O. Barreto Abrams is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Gallaudet University and also a student in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate. Mr. Barreto Abrams interests are in conducting and disseminating research in early intervention, especially in cross-cultural early intervention services. Mr. Barreto Abrams is also a certified sign language interpreter and an adjunct instructor in the psychology department at Gallaudet University.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.