A family-centered approach was espoused in IDEA Part C as the context for service to families with young children experiencing developmental delays. A phenomenological inquiry was conducted to explore how mothers of young children with disabilities orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program, and to identify factors that support their participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with five mothers of children enrolled in a community-based program located in an urban area. An over-arching theme addressing the need for service providers to be “In my reality” emerged. Sub-themes highlighted needs of the mothers to understand their child’s condition, promote their child’s development, and have valued experiences/opportunities for their child. The mothers described how positive and negative informal and formal supports either enhanced or constricted their engagement. The study emphasized how family-centered programming should be the service mode, embracing and facilitating each family’s reality, and not just a stated philosophy.
","abstract_html":"<p>A family-centered approach was espoused in IDEA Part C as the context for service to families with young children experiencing developmental delays. A phenomenological inquiry was conducted to explore how mothers of young children with disabilities orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program, and to identify factors that support their participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with five mothers of children enrolled in a community-based program located in an urban area. An over-arching theme addressing the need for service providers to be “In my reality” emerged. Sub-themes highlighted needs of the mothers to understand their child’s condition, promote their child’s development, and have valued experiences/opportunities for their child. The mothers described how positive and negative informal and formal supports either enhanced or constricted their engagement. The study emphasized how family-centered programming should be the service mode, embracing and facilitating each family’s reality, and not just a stated philosophy.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brennan, Patricia Eileen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Health Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Elizabeth Francis-Connolly, PhD, OTR, Chair","Ruth Hansen, PhD, OT, FAOTA","Valerie Howells, PhD, OTR"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z","subjects":["Learning disabled children","Children with disabilities","Parents of children with disabilities","Public Health Education and Promotion"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/83","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Elizabeth Francis-Connolly, PhD, OTR, Chair","Ruth Hansen, PhD, OT, FAOTA","Valerie Howells, PhD, OTR"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brennan, Patricia Eileen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Learning disabled children","Children with disabilities","Parents of children with disabilities","Public Health Education and Promotion"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/83"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["A family-centered approach was espoused in IDEA Part C as the context for service to families with young children experiencing developmental delays. A phenomenological inquiry was conducted to explore how mothers of young children with disabilities orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program, and to identify factors that support their participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with five mothers of children enrolled in a community-based program located in an urban area. An over-arching theme addressing the need for service providers to be “In my reality” emerged. Sub-themes highlighted needs of the mothers to understand their child’s condition, promote their child’s development, and have valued experiences/opportunities for their child. The mothers described how positive and negative informal and formal supports either enhanced or constricted their engagement. The study emphasized how family-centered programming should be the service mode, embracing and facilitating each family’s reality, and not just a stated philosophy.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["How mothers orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Elizabeth Francis-Connolly, PhD, OTR, Chair","Ruth Hansen, PhD, OT, FAOTA","Valerie Howells, PhD, OTR"],"dc:creator":["Brennan, Patricia Eileen"],"dc:description.abstract":["A family-centered approach was espoused in IDEA Part C as the context for service to families with young children experiencing developmental delays. A phenomenological inquiry was conducted to explore how mothers of young children with disabilities orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program, and to identify factors that support their participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with five mothers of children enrolled in a community-based program located in an urban area. An over-arching theme addressing the need for service providers to be “In my reality” emerged. Sub-themes highlighted needs of the mothers to understand their child’s condition, promote their child’s development, and have valued experiences/opportunities for their child. The mothers described how positive and negative informal and formal supports either enhanced or constricted their engagement. The study emphasized how family-centered programming should be the service mode, embracing and facilitating each family’s reality, and not just a stated philosophy.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/83"],"dc:subject":["Learning disabled children","Children with disabilities","Parents of children with disabilities","Public Health Education and Promotion"],"dc:title":["How mothers orchestrate their engagement in an early intervention program"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z"}