New Jersey’s Web-based Parent-Engaged Developmental Monitoring Information: Mapping and Critical Appraisal

Authors

Danielle Catalano, MS, OTR/L, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

12-16-2023

Keywords

developmental delay, child development, early detection, early intervention, e-health

Comments

Presentation: 20:40

Presentation completed in partial fulfillment of a Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree at Thomas Jefferson University.

Abstract

Caregivers use web-based information to make decisions about their children’s health and development. Due to the state’s high prevalence of developmental delays, New Jersey has developed numerous web-based early childhood initiatives to promote parent engagement. However, the quality of those resources is unknown. This critical appraisal evaluated the quality, readability, and accessibility of New Jersey’s commonly used web-based information on parent-engaged developmental monitoring in children aged 0-3. A systematic web search yielded 112 results. Thirty-six webpages were reviewed by three independent reviewers using four standardized assessment tools. Reviewers found that most information was written at a twelfth-grade reading level, two webpages were considered “good” quality, and none showed “high accessibility.” Our study suggests caregivers in New Jersey may lack access to high-quality information on developmental monitoring and treatment of developmental concerns, affecting timely access to state resources and necessitating comprehensive and collaborative website development.

Synopsis: The study assesses New Jersey's web-based resources for parent-engaged developmental monitoring in 0-3, revealing limited accessibility and twelfth-grade reading levels, hindering caregiver engagement and affecting early child development outcomes.

Acknowledgments: We want to acknowledge Michelle Stanton and Kelli Reader’s assistance throughout the inter-rater consensus approach. The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest concerning this article’s research, authorship, and/or publication. No conflict of interest was identified in this study.

Recommended Citation

Catalano, MS, OTR/L, Danielle, "New Jersey’s Web-based Parent-Engaged Developmental Monitoring Information: Mapping and Critical Appraisal" (2023). Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations. Paper 9.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/otppdcpresentations/9

Language

English