The purposes of the study were twofold: to propose theoretical-practical strategies of family-based intervention, and to develop and test the effectiveness of family-based intervention program to be implemented and disseminated via "Healthy Family-Su ...
The purposes of the study were twofold: to propose theoretical-practical strategies of family-based intervention, and to develop and test the effectiveness of family-based intervention program to be implemented and disseminated via "Healthy Family-Support Center." The theoretical background used was an ecological approach, that is, taking viewpoints of client family's microsystems as well as those of exo- and macrosystems.
In order to assess the needs of families with mildly handicapped children, and to investigate input factors for family-based intervention program, data were collected from 143 families with mildly handicapped children enrolled in early childhood education classes at integrated preschools in Seoul, Korea. The survey research addressed questions regarding the services and supports needed by these families and described the characteristics of the ecological variables which affect family functions, i.e., cohesion and adaptability, and empowerment of theses families. It was found that the level of family functions with mildly handicapped children were moderate(M=3.21, SD=.49), that the most powerful predictors were maternal efficacy (β=.578, p<.001), maternal satisfaction with parent-education and counseling programs (β=.249, p<.001), husband's helps (β=.207, p<.01), and the availability of assistance other than family members (β=.232, p<.05), and that the hierarchical regression analysis yielded Model V as the most powerful model, explaining 79%(Adjusted R2=.787) of the variance.
Based on the survey research, the preventive-empowerment program thus developed was designed to intervene with parenting stress of families with mildly handicapped children enrolled at integrated kindergarten. The theoretical backgrounds integrated in the program were ecological theory, preventive family-based intervention approach, and theraplay theory. The pretest-posttest control-group design with random assignment was applied to 4 mothers in the experimental group and another 4 mothers in the control group. The research model yielded a significant intervention effect(t=-1.294, p<0.05) on mothers' parenting stress.
With proven effectiveness of family-based intervention program, the study further discussed why an ecological, family-based intervention model was a relevant alternative to investigate issues in family welfare, and why an individualized family service plan was a relevant tool to deliver services-in-context for the families who needed supports from exo-and microsystems.