Fathers’ involvement in raising children with intellectual disabilities: Mothers’ ratings of the contribution of their spouses

Abstract

Background Intellectual disability (ID) is a lifelong condition characterized by individuals’ inability to perform cognitive tasks and participate in daily living activities. While parenting children with ID has been reported to be demanding, studies draw mainly on mothers. In contexts such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is little literature on fathers’ involvement in raising children with IDs. Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore, from the perspectives of mothers, the extent of fathers’ involvement in raising children with ID in the UAE. Methods One hundred and fifty-eight (N = 158) mothers with children with ID completed the fathers’ involvement in disability and rehabilitation scale. Mothers who had enrolled their children with ID in special schools or receiving services at rehabilitation centres were invited to participate in this study. The data were subjected to the following analyses: mean computation, multivariate analysis of variance, hierarchical regression, and moderation analysis. Results The results showed high fatherly support, participation in training, and contribution to the development of their children with ID. However, the mothers’ ratings showed the fathers’ ambivalence toward parenting children with ID. A relationship was found between attitude and support, as well as marital status and the educational level of mothers, providing insight into the involvement of fathers. Conclusion The study recommends training programs aimed at improving the attitudes of fathers toward raising children with ID and other study implications.