What Families Need: Validation of the Family Needs Assessment for Taiwanese Families of Children with Intellectual Disability and Developmental Delay

In: Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Volume 38, Issue 4, p. 247-258

Abstract

This study documented the process of developing and validating the Family Needs Assessment (FNA), a seven-factor 73-item measure developed for research and practice, using a sample of Taiwanese families. In developing the FNA, the research team identified a theoretical basis for family needs, used literature and qualitative results in generating items, ensured culturally and linguistically accurate translation of the measure, and revised the measure based on results from pilot tests and cognitive interviews. Although a confirmatory factor analysis is necessary to support final validity, results from this study provide a foundation for understanding Taiwanese family needs. According to the results, the domains with highest needs are Hope (i.e., anticipating and achieving positive outcomes) and Disability-Related Services (i.e., getting services and teaching the child with disabilities). Findings from this study indicate that the FNA, developed as a comprehensive, contemporary, accessible, and culturally appropriate tool, can contribute to the disability-related field in research and practice.