TY - JOUR
T1 - Caregivers’ insights into supporting their late talkers using a Hanen® parent program
AU - Bartlett, Sarah
AU - McLeod, Sharynne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Purpose: To explore caregivers’ experiences and engagement during the 16-week Target Word™ Hanen® programfor parents designed to support late talkers. Method: Qualitative interpretative description methodology was used to understand the experience of five caregivers who had completed Target Word™ to support their children (aged 18-36 months). Caregivers attended a focus group to share their perspectives. Transcripts of these focus groups were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Result: Two themes were identified regarding caregiver engagement during Target Word™ intervention. Firstly, caregivers described explicit support roles for speech-language pathologists: (a) Beginning phase (clarify expectations), (b) middle phase (enable caregiver to link changes in their behaviour to positive child outcomes), and (c) final phase (empowered caregivers). Secondly, caregiver engagement is influenced by: (a) Individual needs and expectations, (b) active engagement during key learning moments, and (c) influence of the broader environment. Conclusion: Each caregiver participating in Target Word™ experienced unique engagement journeys over the course of the program. Speech-language pathologists can explicitly facilitate engagement at each phase of Target Word™ to promote active engagement for learning and ultimately caregiver empowerment to support their children’s language growth.
AB - Purpose: To explore caregivers’ experiences and engagement during the 16-week Target Word™ Hanen® programfor parents designed to support late talkers. Method: Qualitative interpretative description methodology was used to understand the experience of five caregivers who had completed Target Word™ to support their children (aged 18-36 months). Caregivers attended a focus group to share their perspectives. Transcripts of these focus groups were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Result: Two themes were identified regarding caregiver engagement during Target Word™ intervention. Firstly, caregivers described explicit support roles for speech-language pathologists: (a) Beginning phase (clarify expectations), (b) middle phase (enable caregiver to link changes in their behaviour to positive child outcomes), and (c) final phase (empowered caregivers). Secondly, caregiver engagement is influenced by: (a) Individual needs and expectations, (b) active engagement during key learning moments, and (c) influence of the broader environment. Conclusion: Each caregiver participating in Target Word™ experienced unique engagement journeys over the course of the program. Speech-language pathologists can explicitly facilitate engagement at each phase of Target Word™ to promote active engagement for learning and ultimately caregiver empowerment to support their children’s language growth.
KW - caregiver
KW - caregiver-implemented intervention
KW - early language
KW - Hanen
KW - reflexive thematic analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214361102&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85214361102&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/17549507.2024.2438103
DO - 10.1080/17549507.2024.2438103
M3 - Article
C2 - 39745047
AN - SCOPUS:85214361102
SN - 1754-9507
JO - International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
JF - International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
ER -