The Family Interview and Questionnaire:
Gathering Historical and Current Data
The central role of the family in the assessment process cannot be undermined.
Family-centered assessment leads to more relevant and feasible
recommendations that can directly have an impact on the child with special needs.
Research has shown that involving the family from very beginning of the
assessment process can contribute to greater accountability and a sense of
empowerment. Comprehensive and sensitive gathering of historical and current
data through the family interview and questionnaire establishes the main purpose
of the assessment, family needs and resources, and the long-term relevance of
authentic assessment to the child and family.
• Family-Centered Assessment and Empowerment
• Conducting and Administering the Family Interview and Questionnaire
Family-Centered Assessment and Empowerment
Research has proven that the involvement of the family is crucial to the success of any intervention
program for children with special needs. Such involvement should begin from the time child is referred
for assessment, not after the assessment has been completed. Current practice shows a general
disregard for the uniqueness of the family dynamics and resources, with the focus of assessment
geared toward the child alone. Child-Centered assessment should shift to family-centered wherein the
family plays a central role in the assessment process.
One of the greatest predictors of the growth and well-being and of children with special needs is family
involvement and empowerment ( Edward & Da Fonte, 2012). This claim is supported by many other
researches including one by Hume, Bellini, and Pratt ( 2005 ) that established a significant correlation
between parent education and the social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes of children with special
need, as well as the overall quality of life of the entire family. There is, however, a need for more family-
centered practices in early intervention centers in Metro Manila ( Rivadelo, 2000). The most common
needs communicated by parents are: (1) sharing expectations with the family; (2) being part of the
decision-making process; and (3) collaborating with professionals.
Paradigm shift toward family-centered assessment.
Professional-Centered Family-Centered
• Assumes that the child with special needs • Revolves around family needs, schedules, and
requirements are central to the family dynamics; available resources and how these could be
lacks regard for concerns of other family members optimized in educating the child with special needs
• Problem-Oriented • Solution-Oriented
• Presupposes Stereotypes of Familial Roles and • Respect Diversity in Familial Roles and Cultural
Cultural Nuances Backgrounds
• One-Way Communication from Professionals to • Two-Way Communication between Professionals
Family and Family
• Relies on Outsourcing of Costly Professional Support • Considers Simple and Available Support
• Prescriptive and Promotes Dependence/ Learned Mechanisms
Helpessnes • Collaborative and Promotes Family Empowerment
As discussed in chapter 3 (Figure 3.1), the physiologic view of disability regards the child with special
needs as one that needs “fixing” with the perspective that remediating for the child’s deficits will help
him/her attain “normalcy” The sociocultural view, however, recognizes the child’s individuality and
the complexity of his/her disability as a function of his of his/her environment.
In this model, the child and his/her immediate family comprise the microsystem; thus, the child
cannot be seen apart from the family he/she belongs to. In authentic assessment, the process should
be led by the family, with the guidance of a professional. Effort should be made not to refer to role
stereotypes but instead, to carefully consider how family dynamics and resources could be maximized
given the unique family conditions. Instead, creative ways to maximize family resources and available
supports should be exhausted.
Dizon and Sacris (2002) enumerated guidelines in conducting an
interview of the informant as part of psychoeducational
assessment of a child with special needs:
Ready needed materials and guides ahead of time
Establish rapport with the informant.
Listen intently and be emphatic.
Be non-judgmental about the disclosures of the informant.
Use open-ended questions/items and not those answerable by ‘yes’ and ‘no” only.
Affirm/recognize informant’s genuine effort to help the child.
Provide information when asked about facts pertaining to the child’s disability. (e.g.,
What are the causes of Autism?)
Use leads: direct (e.g., “Why is the child out of school?”) and indirect (E.G., “Feel free
to explain how your child relates with other children.”)
Conducting and Administering the Family
Interview and Questionnaire
Who is the child’s primary caregiver? Most likely, he/she would be the main informant to
provide valuable data regarding the intended purpose of the assessment, the goals and
expectations of the family, resources, perceived limitations, and insights about the child’s
development and behavior.
Both the interview and questionnaire consist of contextual measures to (1) aid in
creating a historical and developmental view of the child and (20 plan more relevant
intervention strategies (Sattler, 2001). They can be rich source of qualitative and
quantitative data that could aid in the selection of appropriate selection of tools and settings
that would contextually define the assessment process.
Selecting the use of Questionnaire vs. Inerview
When to use a questionnaire When to use an interview
• Need global information • Need to probe
• Have little time • Require details
• Want written information • Want to circumvent literacy barriers
• Require formal setting • Want informal contact
• Seek simple facts • Desire to establish rapport
• Specific answer are required • Seek details discussions
Most often than not, both can be used to collect needed data from the informants.
Depending on different factor such as the informants preference, time and logistical
constraints, and the capacity of the information to respond to the questions either on paper
or verbally, the questionnaire or interview can be used to gather baseline data.
It is important that the framework be family-centered respectful of differences innate in
every family , and valuing open communication throughout the process of gathering
historical and current data. The interviewee should avoid dominating the conversation by
giving unsolicited advice, jumping to conclusions, providing false reassurance, and veering
away from the topic of conversation to irrelevant and unnecessary talk.
The interviewee or respondent should be assured at all times of the strictest confidentiality
in handling information received an the highest ethical behavior befitting sensitive data.
Data from the family history sets the stone for the rest of the assessment since the reason
for the assessment is established in this part, as well as the profile, goals, strengths, need,
and resources of the family.
On the other hand, the psychosocial history would segue to present behaviors and lead to an
understanding of the child in a holistic manner, in full appreciation of his/her strengths,
interests, attitude, and usual routines. Starting off the assessment process by collecting data
through an interview or administration of a questionnaire grounded on family-centered
practices is instrumental to successfully achieve the purpose of the assessment. Sensitive
and professional conduct of the interview and administration of a well designed
questionnaire can result in quality data gathering.
