e-ISSN: 2618-6586 Open Access · Peer-Reviewed JETOL on DergiPark
JETOL — Journal of Educational Technology & Online Learning
Publisher
Gürhan Durak
Publication Model
Periodical (January – May – September)
Status
Open for Submissions

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

Research Article

Download PDF DOI: 10.31681/jetol.1886938
Published in
Volume 9, Issue 2 (2026)
Pages
146–165
Publication Date
May 31, 2026
Submission Date
February 11, 2026
Acceptance Date
April 16, 2026
Subjects
Specialist Studies in Education (Other)

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.
References (19)
  1. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.
  2. Cavkaytar, A., Aksoy, V., ve Ardıç, A. (2014). The adaptation of the parental self-efficacy instrument for children with disabilities into Turkish. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 14(4), 1461-1468. doi:10.12738/estp.2014.4.2023.
  3. Cheng, W. M., Smith, T. B., Butler, M., Taylor, T. M., and Clayton, D. (2022). Effects of Parent-Implemented Interventions on Outcomes of Children with Autism: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(12), 4147–4163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05688-8.
  4. Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3. baskı). SAGE Publications.
  5. Dückert, S., Gewohn, P., König, H., Schöttle, D., Konnopka, A., Rahlff, P., Vogeley, K., Schulz, H., David, N., ve Peth, J. (2023). Multidimensional Burden on Family Caregivers of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Scoping Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 12, 723-740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-023-00414-1.
  6. Johnson, C. R., Turner, K. S., and Foldes, E. (2024). Follow-up of telehealth parent training for sleep disturbances in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06321-x.
  7. Liang, S., Zheng, R. X., Zhang, L. L., Liu, Y. M., Ge, K. J., Zhou, Z. Y., and Wang, L. (2022). Effectiveness of parent-training program on children with autism spectrum disorder in China. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 68:4, 495-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2020.1813063.
  8. Paramansyah, A., Hamzah, Putra, R. P., Direja, A. H. S., ve Zamakhsari, A. (2023). The Impact of Parents' Training Program for the Psychosocial Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder Students. Journal on Education, 6(1), 6147-6154.
  9. Reichow, B., Servili, C., Yasamy, M. T., Barbui, C., and Saxena, S. (2016). Non-specialist psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents with intellectual disability or lower-functioning autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. PLOS Medicine, 10(12), e1001572.
  10. Rios, K., ve Burke, M. M. (2021). Family-centered practices in early intervention: A qualitative study of the perspectives of parents and professionals. Journal of Early Intervention, 43(3), 250-268. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815120953609
  11. Seeridaram, A., ve Rashid, S. M. M. (2023). The Impact of Pressure Upon Parents in Raising Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(1), 940-953. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i1/15916.
  12. Shulga, T. I., Savchenko, D. V., and Shulga, A. I. (2022). Telehealth for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9636. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159636.
  13. Şahin Büyük, D., ve Özmen, D. (2025). Effectiveness of a Parent Empowerment Program for Parents of Children with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Child: Care, Health and Development.
  14. Tabachnick, B. G., ve Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6. baskı). Pearson.
  15. Tabatabaei, S. H., Shahrokhi, H., Gholipour, K., Iezadi, S., Rezapour, R., Naghibi, D., ve Azami-Aghdash, S. (2022). The Characteristics and Results of Parent Training Interventions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Iran Journal of Public Health, 51(3), 518-530.
  16. Ting, V., ve Chu, S. Y. (2023). The effect of telehealth intervention on parental stress and self-efficacy in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 29(4), 289-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X20986034.
  17. Tomasello, N. M., Manning, A. R., & Dulmus, C. N. (2010). Family-centered early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Journal of Family Social Work, 13(2), 163-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/10522150903487019.
  18. Wuang, Y. P., Huang, C. L., y Tsai, H. Y. (2022). Effectiveness of telehealth-delivered parent training on behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(5), 2200-2212.
  19. Yıldırım Sarı, H., ve Başbakkal, Z. (2008). Aile yükü değerlendirme ölçeğinin psikometrik özelliklerinin incelenmesi. Atatürk Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Yüksekokulu Dergisi, 11(2), 1-9.

This article is published under the CC BY 4.0 license.