The effects of family-centered service coordination: A social validity study

This study examined if a family's level of satisfaction improves when the service coordination they receive adheres to a family-centered model. The participants included three service coordinators and nine families participating in Part H of IDEA. For 1 year, families reported what services they had received and their level of satisfaction with the services. A multiple-baseline design across subjects was used and an individual assistance condition was added when, following training, none of the service coordinators adequately implemented the model. Results indicate a high degree of family satisfaction and a low degree of dissatisfaction when the model was adequately implemented. In contrast, when the model was not adequately implemented, families reported very little satisfaction and a high degree of dissatisfaction.