Driving parental adoption of subscription-based customized children’s assistive devices in Taiwan: critical role of perceived value and usability

PURPOSE: This study investigates the factors influencing parental adoption of subscription-based customised children's assistive devices (SBCC-ADs) in Taiwan, a market traditionally dominated by one-time purchases and government subsidies. METHODS: By Integrating the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study examines the roles of relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, while incorporating perceived risk as a potential moderator. Data collected from 108 parents of children with disabilities were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM). RESULTS: The results demonstrated strong predictive power (R2=0.774), identifying relative advantage (β= 0.225, p < 0.01) and perceived ease of use (β = 0.398, p < 0.001) as the primary drivers of adoption intention. Notably, in the specific context of Taiwan, compatibility, trialability, and perceived usefulness did not yield statistically significant effects. Furthermore, perceived risk did not significantly moderate the relationship between primary innovation factors and adoption intention. CONCLUSIONS: These empirical findings suggest that the adoption of SBCC-ADs is primarily driven by perceived value and perceived usability. This study highlights the need for user-friendly service design and transparent communication to support the inclusive adoption of assistive technology in disability and rehabilitation, providing actionable insights for marketing, design and policy development.