The family's perception of speech therapy in an outpatient unit

PURPOSE: to understand the family's perception of speech therapy in an outpatient setting. METHODS: semi-structured interviews were carried out with six mothers of children receiving speech therapy in an outpatient unit at a public hospital in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná. The following three inclusion criteria were used: having had speech therapy for more than five months; having been attending weekly sessions; and being available to take part in the study. The method used to treat the data was thematic analysis, and the following subcategories were identified in the category "treatment": recognition of the service, bonding and practices. RESULTS: the findings showed that families had a limited understanding of speech therapy, that they felt uncertainty when faced with the issues related to their offspring's speech difficulties and that there was a need for bonding with the families and recognition of the way that each family behaves. CONCLUSION: respect for the singularities of each family group favors interaction between the family and the health professional and enriches the therapeutic process, allowing participants to develop their self-confidence and create a bond with the therapist, both of which are essential for family participation in the therapeutic process.

研究目的：了解家属对门诊言语治疗（speech therapy）的认知情况。
研究方法：选取巴西帕拉州库里蒂巴市某公立医院门诊单元接受言语治疗的6名患儿母亲作为研究对象，开展半结构化访谈（semi-structured interviews）。本次研究设定三项纳入标准：接受言语治疗时长超过5个月、每周均参与治疗课程、自愿参与本研究。数据处理采用主题分析法（thematic analysis），在"治疗"主题下识别出三个子类别：服务认知、联结建立与实践行为。
研究结果：结果显示，家属对言语治疗的认知较为有限，在面对子女的言语障碍问题时易产生迷茫情绪；同时研究发现，医护人员需要与家属建立联结，并尊重每个家庭的行事方式。
结论：尊重每个家庭群体的独特性，有助于增进家属与医护人员之间的互动，丰富治疗过程；同时可帮助参与者建立自信心，与治疗师建立联结——这两点均为家属参与治疗过程的必要条件。