Models and Styles of Consultation:Preferences or Professionals in Early Intervention

This study examined preferences for consultation models and styles among 67 professionals who worked in early intervention programs in Colorado. Preferences were examined using questionnaire and analog formats. We found that a collaborative approach involving shared responsibility across all stages of the consultation process was preferred. In addition, results indicated a marked preference for a directive style that involved sharing specific strategies to address the concerns of a consultee over a nondirective style that consisted merely of facilitating the consultee's own problem-solving abilities. Implications of these findings for emerging practice and future research in early intervention are presented.