The impact of online family training on perception of inadequacy and self-efficacy in parents of children with special needs

Abstract

The transition from child-centered to family-centered approaches in special education requires active parental empowerment. This study examined the effect of a structured online family training program on parents' perceptions of inadequacy and self-efficacy levels for children with special needs. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, the study involved 30 parents who had not previously received formal training. Data were collected using the "Family Burden Assessment Scale," "Parental Self-Efficacy Instrument," and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant decrease in parents' perception of inadequacy and a significant increase in self-efficacy following the eight-week telehealth intervention. Notably, while the training was universally effective across different educational backgrounds, a significant positive correlation was found between household income and self-efficacy gains, suggesting that economic resources amplify the benefits of intervention. Qualitative findings corroborated the statistical results, showing that parents successfully transferred theoretical knowledge into daily routines such as play and behavioral management. These results demonstrate that online family training serves as a resilient support mechanism, particularly in crisis contexts, transforming parental helplessness into competence. The study highlights the potential of digital platforms to democratize access to special education services.

Keywords

• Family training
• parental self-efficacy
• perception of inadequacy
• telehealth
• special education
• mixed-method design.

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