title: Providing information to parents of children with mental health problems: a discrete choice conjoint analysis of professional preferences.
abstract: We used discrete choice conjoint analysis to model the ways 645 children's mental health (CMH) professionals preferred to provide information to parents seeking CMH services. Participants completed 20 choice tasks presenting experimentally varied combinations of the study's 14 4-level CMH information transfer attributes. Latent class analysis revealed three segments. Open Access professionals (32.2%) preferred that intake workers automatically provide all parents with CMH information. They preferred information prepared by professional organizations and located at accessible settings such as public schools. They responded favorably to the internet as a source of information for parents. Controlled Access professionals (22.2%) preferred information that was approved and recommended by a child's therapist, prepared by an experienced clinician, and located at hospitals and CMH clinics. Process Sensitive professionals (45.6%) showed a stronger preference for active learning materials with parenting groups and therapist "coaching" calls supporting the knowledge transfer process. Simulations suggested that realizing the benefits of CMH information requires the development of knowledge transfer strategies that align the preferences of professionals with those of the families they serve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. cunnic@hhsc.ca
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deal
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rimas
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Don H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: Kathie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sdao-Jarvie
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D030881:Disclosure; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012944:Social Support