Parental factors including emotional unreadiness, feeling overwhelmed, and unrealistic expectations can contribute to AAC device abandonment¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Parents describe lack of emotional readiness, feeling overwhelmed by home implementation, and perceiving AAC as an additional burden of care; unrealistic expectations and frustration with ongoing implementation efforts can result in device abandonment. → Byrnes C 2026

Evidence¶

Byrnes C 2026¶

Byrnes C, Moran G, Clarke MT, Caron J, Smith EM, Galvin R, Gallagher AL. (2026). Experiences of Augmentative and Alternative Communication use in School: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Protocol. HRB Open Research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13550906/ doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.14332.2

q2 · i? · review · r?

Narrative background synthesis of parent-perception studies cited in the protocol introduction. The protocol states parents "have described their experience in terms of a lack of emotional readiness and of feeling overwhelmed by implementation of the use of AAC with their child in the home". No effect size is printed; the abandonment outcome is reported as a cited qualitative finding.

"Unrealistic expectations and frustration with regards to the ongoing efforts required to implement AAC in the home can result in device abandonment."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The synthesis will address three research questions on stakeholder experiences, influencing factors, and required implementation strategies for classroom AAC — related
• Barriers to integrating AAC into daily routines and accessing AAC programs are frequently reported despite high perceived benefits — related
• Parents more often report initial difficulty accepting AAC than continued difficulty after time has passed — related
• Parental awareness of alternative AAC systems is limited, and only about one-third agree AAC systems are suitable for all children — related
• Educator involvement in choosing a pilot tool is associated with higher engagement and implementation fidelity, while lack of autonomy contributed to low usage and negative feelings — related
• Pursuing unrealistic goals can lead to discouragement and frustration, so goals should balance rigor with realism — related
• Many children with communication needs who require AAC lack access to appropriate supports, and embedding AAC interventions in the classroom is challenging — related
• AAC users report device useability difficulties, high cognitive load when learning communication systems, and poor physical and sensory access — related
• Conflated program rationales can place competing and unrealistic expectations on scholarship students — related