How are they doing? Listening as fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder compare themselves to fathers of children who are typically developing

Abstract

The growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is accompanied by ongoing efforts to understand and support parents in the face of challenges related to their child's autism spectrum disorder. Although fathers are increasingly hands-on in raising children, research focus on parenting children with autism spectrum disorder continues to be skewed toward experiences of mothers. Our purpose in this article is to contribute understandings of how fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder perceive themselves to be managing, and we undertake this by examining comparisons fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder make between their parenting experiences and experiences of fathers of typically developing children. A purposive sample of 28 fathers of children (aged 2-13 years) with autism spectrum disorder living in an urban center in Western Canada participated in in-depth interviews about their parenting successes and challenges. We found fathers speak of universal fathering experiences yet articulate their own sense of loss and efforts to come to terms with unanticipated demands associated with autism spectrum disorder. Fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder feel "pangs of jealousy" toward fathers of typically developing children, yet they are keenly attentive to their own child's development and convey a sense of gratitude for their child's capabilities and personality amidst an appreciation for trials and triumphs of fathering in general and fathering a child with autism spectrum disorder in particular.

The experiences of Dutch fathers on fathering children with disabilities: ‘Hey, that is a father and his daughter, that is it’

“…Several of these studies show that fathers of children with disabilities experience both challenging and positive perceptions simultaneously (Boström et al . , ; Boyraz and Sayger ; Cheuk and Lashewicz ; Hastings et al . ; Horsley and Oliver ; Potter ).…”

Fathers' experiences as carers for autistic children with learning disabilities

“…the father‐only stories presented in Harrison et al. 's (2007) edited collection; and Marsh et al's narrative enquiry around fathers' experiences (2018), as well as work by Burrell et al, 2017; Lashewicz et al., 2016; Cheuk & lashewiz, 2015). This is perhaps partly because mothers still take on the majority of the responsibility for direct care, and because the fathers defer to the presumed greater emotional capability of the mother, unless there is a need to act "tough": one dad of a child with disabilities is quoted in an edited collection of father's experiences:

"She goes to all the meetings and I just turn up when I'm needed or told that I'm needed"; "I go to the meetings when things are bad and I have to act tough to get what we want."

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“…However, much of the research centres the mothers' experiences (DePape & Lindsay, 2015;Hurtubise & Carpenter, 2017;Hwang, Kearney, Klieve, Lang, & Roberts, 2015;Markoulakis, Fletcher, & Bryden, 2012;Van Wyk & Leech, 2016;Shu, 2009), with a few exceptions (e.g. the father-only stories presented in Harrison et al's (2007) Burrell et al, 2017;Lashewicz et al, 2016;Cheuk & lashewiz, 2015). This is perhaps partly because mothers still take on the majority of the responsibility for direct care, and because the fathers defer to the presumed greater emotional capability of the mother, unless there is a need to act "tough": one dad of a child with disabilities is quoted in an edited collection of father's experiences:…”

Listening to Bedouin fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder

“…Fathers may lack interest in participating in studies, be unavailable, or simply not be invited to participate (Fabiano, 2007). The recognition of this gap has led researchers to the conclusion that we need a deeper understanding of fathers’ experiences in general (Cheuk & Lashewicz, 2015), particularly within non-Western and non-English-speaking societies.…”

“…However, the few studies that have focused on fathers indicate marked differences between mothers and fathers, highlighting, for example, the different ways in which mothers and fathers influence their child's development (Braunstein, Peniston, Perelman, & Cassano, 2013). Additionally, fathers may need different kinds of support than do mothers (Meadan, Halle, & Ebata, 2010) and have different ways of interpreting, handling, experiencing, experimenting, and participating in their child's life (Cheuk & Lashewicz, 2015). This recognition motivates the present study, which aimed to explore the experience of fathers raising children with ASD in a Bedouin community.…”