Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (Jan 2017)
Parental Adherence to a Research Protocol to Investigate the Effect of the Wilbarger Therapressure ProgramTM: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
Background: The Wilbarger Therapressure ProgramTM is a technique applied by parents at home for sensory overresponsivity in children. The program is anecdotally reported to be demanding on parents, which can affect parental adherence. Currently, there is an absence of high quality research to support the use of the program. This pilot study aimed at developing appropriate research protocols to investigate the effectiveness of the program on the stress response of children with sensory overresponsivity. This article reports on the second phase of the project. Method: After participating in the trial data collection protocols to investigate the effect of the intervention, five participants participated in semi-structured interviews that sought to obtain their perceptions on the data collection protocols and explore their adherence to the protocols. Results: The participants acknowledged the demanding nature of involvement in the study; however, participant adherence was high. The participants were motivated to be involved and to contribute to the intervention outcomes and the research. The participants described the aspects that influenced their adherence. Conclusion: The participants provided suggestions for future, larger studies
