Was ist therapeutischer Erfolg? Elterliche Therapiebewertungen in der Sozialpädiatrie

Objectives: We examined the correlation of parent evaluations with therapeutic progress for a group of 85 patients receiving outpatient therapy at the Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum (Center for Developmental Pediatrics and Child Neurology) in Ulm University.Method: The Fragebogen zur Behandlungszufriedenheit (Questionnaire on treatment satisfaction) and two questionnaires developed by our group were used. The questionnaires were adapted to the therapies in pediatric patients and the special situation of parents with severely handicapped children.Results: A high level of subjective stress sensation correlates with negative therapeutic evaluation and significantly reduces therapy acceptance by the parents. There was no systematic correlation with a certain therapeutic method or a specific diagnosis. We identified the transparency of short-term goals, symptomatic modifications, stress sensation and participation in the intervention program as reliable predictors of parental satisfaction with therapy. Surprisingly, there was no correlation between the therapist’s and parent’s evaluations. The parent’s stress sensation is not predictable from the intensity and duration required for therapeutic interventions at home.Conclusion: The perception of therapeutic effects reflects global satisfaction with the therapeutic process and can indicate psychosocial difficulties with potential negative effects on the therapy prematurely. The parent’s evaluation is an important variable in quality control of developmental therapies in children.