Early childhood intervention practitioners’ competence and confidence appraisals using recommended practices and relationship with parent involvement

Parent involvement in early childhood intervention (ECI) is considered an important component of recommended ECI practices. However, how parents are involved in their child’s early intervention differs considerably between ECI practitioners. Current research indicates that practitioners’ competence and confidence appraisals influence the use of ECI practices. The purposes of this study were to (1) adapt and validate the Early Childhood Intervention Practitioner Competence and Confidence Scale for use in Spain, (2) examine the psychometric properties of the scale, (3) compare practitioners’ beliefs about their competence and confidence in using recommended ECI practices, and (4) evaluate the relationship between belief appraisals and practitioners’ judgments of parent involvement in ECI. The sample included 130 Spanish ECI practitioners. The results indicated that the scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring practitioners’ competence and confidence in using six ECI-recommended practices in Spain. Practitioners’ appraisals of competence and confidence, however, differed across the recommended practices. Significant positive correlations were found between the practitioners’ appraisals of competence and confidence and their judgments of parent involvement. These results show that a strong sense of competence and confidence in using different kinds of ECI-recommended practices is related to increased parent involvement in active child participation in learning and development in everyday activities. Research and practical implications are discussed.