Social validity by parents of special education programs based on the ecological risk : resilience model

Social validity is focused on analyzing how goals, procedures, and outcomes associated to an intervention program benefit target individuals, and whether the potential of the program’s objectives itself is in turn achieved, including expectation assessment, behavioral changes, opportunities and development of new skills, abilities and strategies. In this sense, the instrumentation of the Ecological Risk/Resilience Model proves to be of great importance, particularly in special education programs focused on reducing risk factors and encouraging resilient behaviors in students with special educational needs (SEN), their parents and teachers. The purpose of this study was to validate –through parents- the acceptability, educational significance and social importance of special education intervention programs based on the above mentioned model. The Social Validity of Special Education Programs Questionnaire was completed by 45 mothers, 10 fathers, and 5 grandfathers of 30 elementary school children identified as having SEN. The main findings showed that fathers noticed increased changes of resilient behaviors in students both at school and at home. Statistically significant differences in some features were found between male and female participants and in every dimension (i.e., acceptability, educational significance and social importance) between participants from both schools. Differences between participants regarding the type of SEN addressed by the programs were not found, which emphasizes the educational relevance of programs developed under this model.