Affiliations: Rehabilitation Education and Research Program,
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA | Center for Disability Studies, Kent State University,
Kent, OH, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Lynn Koch, University of Arkansas,
College of Education and Health Professions, Department of Human Resources and
Communication Disorders, 106 Graduate Education Building, Fayetteville, Ar
72701, USA. Tel.: +1 479 575 5824; Fax: +1 479 575 5824; E-mail:
lckoch@uark.edu
Abstract: This article describes the challenges that inhere to consumer
satisfaction research in the fields of rehabilitation and health care,
discusses strategies for improving the psychometric soundness and scientific
rigor of research in this increasingly important knowledge domain, and cites
several examples from the contemporary literature of measurement and design
approaches that have been identified as particularly useful in gauging consumer
satisfaction with services. Mixed-method and qualitative research strategies
such as in-depth interviews and focus groups are emphasized as ways of
broadening and deepening the field's understanding of the multi-dimensional
construct of consumer satisfaction.
Keywords: Consumer satisfaction, program evaluation, mixed-method designs
