Cultural Adaptation of Parent-Implemented Early Communication Interventions: A Scoping Review

What is it about?

For this scoping review, we identified parent-implemented early communication interventions that have been culturally adapted and described which intervention components were adapted. To do this, we reviewed various scientific databases, and other sources, to find relevant articles. We found twenty-one relevant articles, extracted relevant information, and summarized trends. No studies defined culture, and only three used cultural adaptation models or frameworks to guide adaptation. Studies varied considerably in what they adapted; language adaptations (e.g., translation), were conducted most frequently, and intervention goals were rarely adapted. Only three studies obtained parent feedback to inform cultural adaptation for future recommendations. We found that more clarity is required regarding how cultural adaptations are reported for communication interventions. Cultural adaptation frameworks are useful tools to guide adaptation but can be difficult to put into use in an objective manner. Additional research in this area is necessary to help clinicians provide culturally responsive care for parent-implemented communication interventions.

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Why is it important?

Parent-implemented early communication interventions are commonly delivered to culturally and linguistically diverse families. Still, there is little guidance for clinicians or families regarding what aspects of parent-implemented communication interventions to adapt. Adaptations may be warranted if the parents' cultural background differs from that of the original intervention. This can include different cultures within a country or importing an intervention into new countries and cultures.

Perspectives

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As a practicing speech-language pathologist, I often train parents when delivering communication interventions. I am invested in providing culturally responsive care to all the families I serve, but this can be challenging to navigate as there is little evidence on how to culturally adapt interventions. We were inspired to investigate this topic and share our findings with other clinicians and researchers.

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