Model Testing: Examining Parent Satisfaction Janis E. Gerkensmeyer, Joan K. Austin, and Theodore K. Miller The purpose of this study was to test a model predicting social– psychological determinants of parent satisfaction with children’s mental health services. Model concepts were parents’ characteristics, definition of situation, desired services, expectations, met desires, met expect- ations, and satisfaction. The sample included 120 parents of children, ages 3 –18 years, admitted to one of five treatment programs. With minor changes, results of structural equation modeling indicated a good fit between the data and the proposed relationships. The strongest predictor of parent satisfaction was met expectations; however, inclusion of the desire concepts was essential in obtaining a strong, acceptable model fit. D 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. O UR NATION IS experiencing a crisis in children’s mental health, with unmet service needs for children and their families reported to be as high now as they were 20 years ago (U.S. Public Health Service, 2000). An estimated 12–20% of the nation’s children are in need of mental health services, less than one third of these children are receiving services and about half of those are receiving inappropriate services (Junek & Thompson, 1999; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1996). There is a need to make sure that children and their families receive adequate services (Plante, Couchmen, & Diaz, 1995). Parent satisfaction with services is an important component in evaluation of the adequacy of mental health services for children with mental health problems as parents are usually responsible for getting services for their child and are important to the success of treatment through their participa- tion (Delaney & Engels-Scianna, 1996). Parents are also the best judge about the impact of caring for a child with mental health needs (Dickey & Wagenaar, 1994) and are usually responsible for caring for their child at home when services are completed. In reviews of parent satisfaction research, however, problems have been found. Many parent satisfaction instruments lack support for their psychometric properties (Gerkensmeyer, 1999; McMahon & Forehand, 1983; Young, Nicholson & Davis, 1995). Theoretical problems were also found. Only 3 of 46 parent satisfaction studies reviewed reported a conceptual framework (Ger- kensmeyer, 2002; Gerkensmeyer & Austin, 2005; Stacey et al., 2002), and only 5 studies presented conceptual definitions of parent satisfaction. (Gerkensmeyer, 2002; Gerkensmeyer & Austin, 2005; Gerkensmeyer, McBride, Feaster & Austin, 1997; Stacey et al., 2002; Webster-Stratton, 1989). Most parent satisfaction research has focused on clinical application or utility rather than theoretical or methodological rigor. Without theoretical emphasis, inadequate conceptualization and operationalization of variables under inves- tigation can result. Few theoretical frameworks are available that explain consumer satisfaction in the context of From the School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN and School of Public and Environ- mental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Address reprint requests to Janis E. Gerkensmeyer, PhD, RN, APRN, BC, Assistant Professor, Indiana Uni- versity School of Nursing, 1111 Middle Drive, NU403, Indianapolis, IN 46202. B 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 0883-9417/1801-0005$30.00/0 doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2005.09.001 Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, Vol. 20, No. 2 (April), 2006: pp 65–75 65