The purpose of this study was to determine the quality, satisfaction, and re-use intention of adapted physical activity as perceived by parents who used the adapted physical activity service within the developmental rehabilitation service. In this st...
The purpose of this study was to determine the quality, satisfaction, and re-use intention of adapted physical activity as perceived by parents who used the adapted physical activity service within the developmental rehabilitation service. In this study, we systematically analyzed and identified the relationships between service quality, satisfaction, and re-use intention. The results of this study will suggest directions for increasing user satisfaction and re-use through service quality improvement. We surveyed 250 out of 280 parents who used the adapted physical activity service from six private institutions and three welfare centers. The results were as follows.
The quality of the adapted physical activity service as perceived by the parents was high, and the following sub-factors were evaluated in the order of highest to lowest: reliability, empathy, responsiveness, assurance, and tangibility. In addition, parents’ satisfaction and re-use intention were also high. Satisfaction with the adapted physical activity service had correlations with the following service quality sub-factors in the order of highest to lowest: empathy, responsiveness, assurance, reliability, and tangibility. Empathy and tangibility were found to be the best predictive factors of satisfaction. These results present the necessity to make efforts to improve empathy (i.e., paying more attention to and respecting the special circumstances, choices, and feelings of service users) and tangibility (i.e., service environment and facilities). Re-use intention showed a high correlation with satisfaction, while it exhibited a somewhat high correlation with service quality. Service satisfaction and service quality were predictive factors of service re-use intention. When examining the relationships between service quality, satisfaction, and re-use intention, satisfaction with the adapted physical activity service served as a partial mediator of service quality and re-use intention. That is, the service quality as perceived by the service users not only directly affected their re-use intention but also indirectly influenced their re-use intention using satisfaction as a mediator. The explanatory power of the indirect effect was greater than that of the direct effect. These results reveal that service quality is an important variable to improve both service satisfaction and re-use intention. Improved quality of the adapted physical activity service resulted in higher satisfaction, thereby leading to increased re-use intention. Thus, service providers and organizations should strive to improve service quality.
In the future service policy, users’ families should be able to participate in the service together through parent counseling and education to improve empathy. We also need to find ways to achieve an integrated approach involving family-level support and a case management system linked to community organizations. In terms of tangibility, it is necessary to introduce an evaluative accreditation system for developmental rehabilitation service providers so that the children and their parents can receive services in good environments. Moreover, policy support should be followed for overall management of the providers.
This study was only conducted on the parents who used the adapted physical activity service within the developmental rehabilitation service. Therefore, follow-up studies should be carried out on the administrative staff of the providers, service providers, and public officials responsible for the developmental rehabilitation service. Furthermore, it is necessary to employ multilateral research methods, such as combined qualitative research methods. Various other studies on the service are needed for the continuation and expansion of the adapted physical activity service in the developmental rehabilitation service.