Does Parental Involvement Improve Early Intervention Outcomes? Evidence from Children with Visual Impairment

Authors

  • Vikash Kumar Nirmal Special Teacher Training College, Jhalawara, Rajasthan (India), India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57235/ijrael.v5i2.9163

Keywords:

Parental Involvement, Early Intervention, Children with Visual Impairment, Developmental Outcomes

Abstract

Parental involvement is an important component of early intervention for children with visual impairment because parents provide continuous opportunities for learning, mobility, communication, self-care, and functional development beyond formal intervention settings. The present study examined the relationship between parental involvement and early intervention outcomes among children with visual impairment. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was adopted, involving a purposive sample of 22 children with visual impairment and their parents or primary caregivers at Nirmal Special School, Jhalawar, Rajasthan. Data were collected using a demographic information schedule, a structured parental involvement scale, and an early intervention outcome rating scale covering cognitive development, communication, orientation and mobility, social interaction, adaptive behaviour, self-care, and functional independence. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and simple linear regression were employed for data analysis. The findings revealed a high level of parental involvement (M = 3.82, SD = 0.61) and favourable overall early intervention outcomes (M = 3.68, SD = 0.57). Orientation and mobility showed the highest developmental outcome, followed by functional independence and self-care skills. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between parental involvement and early intervention outcomes (r = .67, p < .001). Regression analysis further showed that parental involvement significantly predicted intervention outcomes and accounted for approximately 45% of the variance (R² = .45). The findings highlight the importance of strengthening family-centred early intervention practices through parent training, home-based activities, professional collaboration, and active parental participation in intervention planning and implementation.

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Published

2026-08-28

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026): August 2026

Section

Articles

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