Fathers in the Care of Children with Disabilities: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objective: to explore the perception and experience of fathers of children with disabilities in caring for their children; to know their role and how these tasks impact their daily life, health and physical, mental and/or emotional well-being. Methodology: qualitative approach study with phenomenological design. The sample consisted of seven young fathers of underage children with various diagnoses. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews; the discourse analysis was carried out through open and axial coding processes. Three themes emerged from the results of the analysis: (1) shared responsibilities, (2) somewhat difficult to fit in, and (3) either you join or you split. Results: Fathers must readjust their work schedule, reduce their working hours, or give up their job altogether to take care of their children, as well as give up their social life. They lack time to enjoy their leisure time, to spend time with their partner, to take care of themselves. This involvement in caregiving generates an important occupational imbalance that has repercussions above all on their mental health. Conclusions: The sharing of caregiving tasks also impacts significantly on parents’ lives, it also takes away time and opportunities, and sometimes health and quality of life.

Perspectivas familiares sobre la vivencia paternofilial de la discapacidad intelectual: una mirada fenomenológica

“…La condición de discapacidad en un miembro de la familia puede conllevar que el funcionamiento y estilo de vida habitual de la familia se vea transformado (Benito y Carpio, 2017;Reichman et al, 2008). La parentalidad de un hijo con discapacidad genera, en el sistema familiar, la coexistencia de una serie de experiencias tanto positivas como negativas que condicionan su dinámica, así como la vivencia de la paternidad y crianza del hijo con discapacidad (Luijkx et al, 2019;Rajan y John, 2017;Schlebusch y Dada, 2018;Uribe-Morales, 2022). El momento de la primera noticia, correspondiente a la comunicación del diagnóstico de la discapacidad, implica una gran carga emocional para los padres, marcando un hito en la historia de vida familiar y en los posteriores procesos de aceptación y adaptación (Ponte et al, 2012).…”