Fathers with Intellectual Disabilities Talk about their Plans, Hopes, and Children’s Future. A Qualitative Research Report

Abstract

Introduction: Exploring people's plans, hopes and perceptions of future can help us understand their inner world, intentions, drives, and meaning ascribed to their lives. Little do we know, however, about this sphere in fathers with intellectual disabilities (ID). Research Aim:The aim of the study was to explore how fathers with ID visualize their children's future, what their plans and hopes are and how these plans and hopes are ascribed with meaning by them. Method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to examine plans, hopes and vision of the future as expressed by fathers with ID. The research was conducted using in-depth interviews with twenty fathers with mild to moderate ID (aged 21-54). Results: Three superordinate themes and 10 constituent themes were extracted from the data. The superordinate themes included: (1) vision of the child's future -hopes and fears, (2) objects of plans and hopes, and (3) towards fulfilling plans and hopes. Conclusion:The findings can be used by professionals working in institutions supporting people with ID and for social services to help them raise awareness about plans and intentions of fathers with ID -a group commonly regarded as reluctant to cooperate.