Exploring Parents’ Perceptions of Early Intervention Services: A Multi-State Study

This study explored parents’ perceptions regarding early intervention (EI) services. More specifically, families’ responses to individual items on the Family Outcome Survey-Revised (FOS-R) were evaluated and are discussed. Based on purposive sampling technique, previously collected data were obtained from six states. A total of 3,945 cases were included in the final data set for analysis. Results indicate that, in general, parents have positive perceptions of the EI program’s benefits. However, significant differences were detected in parents’ responses across lead agencies, suggesting that lead agencies’ governing departments influence parents’ experiences with the program. To create a system that provides similar benefits and opportunities for families across states, stakeholders and policymakers could utilize this study to identify the factors that produce differences in parents’ experiences from state to state.