Adapting the Unique Minds Program: Exploring the Feasibility of a Multiple Family Intervention for Children with Learning Disabilities in the Context of Spain.
The Unique Minds Program (Stern, Unique Minds Program, 1999) addresses the socio-emotional needs of children with learning disabilities (LD) and their families. Children and their parents work together in a multiple family group to learn more about LD and themselves as people with the capacity to solve problems in a collaborative way, including problems in family school relationships. This article reports the cultural adaptation of the program for use in Spain and findings from a feasibility study involving three multiple family groups and a total of 15 children and 15 mothers, using a pre-post design. This Spanish adaptation of the program is called "Mentes Únicas". Standardized outcome measures indicated an overall statistically significant decrease in children's self-rated maladjustment and relationship difficulties by the end of the program. Improvements were endorsed by most mothers, although they were not always recognized by the children's teachers. The program had a high level of acceptability: Mothers and children felt safe, understood, and helped throughout the sessions. The efficacy of the adapted intervention for the context of Spain remains to be tested in a more rigorous study.
Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
Silvia
S
López-Larrosa
Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
Rosa M
RM
González-Seijas
School for Policy studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
John S W
JSW
Carpenter
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004644:Emotions; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D013030:Spain
Cultural Adaptation; Learning Disabilities; Multiple Family; Primary School Children; adaptación cultural; discapacidades del aprendizaje; multifamiliar; niños de escuela primaria; 多重家庭; 学习障碍; 小学儿童; 文化调整