Effectively Engaging Fathers of Children With a Disability Who Strongly Adhere to Traditional Masculinity

Introduction

For fathers of a child with a disability who strongly adhere to traditional masculine norms, their engagement with educational and occupational services comes with unique strengths and challenges that are qualitatively different than mothers’ experiences (see Gray, 2003; Keller & Honig 2004; Pelchat et al. 2009). Understanding father-specific experiences are critical if interventionists are to effectively support children with disabilities and their families. Fathers play a key role in the care of their child which affects a number of health-related outcomes (Spurr et al., 2023) and in partnering with the mother in their care of their child which has positive outcomes for mother’s wellbeing and family functioning (Bagner, 2013; Laxman et al., 2015). However, much of the research literature on parent’s experience of raising a child with a disability has focused on maternal experience (Bourke‐Taylor et al., 2010; Ranehov & Håkansson, 2019; and for review, see Meaden et al., 2015), whereas fathers experience has received little attention (see Hartley et al. 2012; McKnight 2015). This also extends to uncles, grandfathers, brothers, and male cousins. Therefore, interventionists working with children with a disability are at a disadvantage when it comes to effectively engaging with male family members from an evidence-based approach, especially in regard to the barriers that masculinity may pose.

The aim of this chapter is to help the interventionists effectively connect with fathers and increase their involvement with the educational services supporting their children. To equip the interventionists in this endeavor, in the following pages are a review of relevant background information regarding the benefit children with a disability, families and mothers receive when fathers are involved in care-related tasks and medical and educational services. furthermore, fathers’ experiences of caring for a child with a disability and its impact on their mental health will be discussed. With special attention given to the barriers and strengths of a father’s endorsement of traditional masculinity. The chapter will describe three approaches, which interventionists should consider integrating when their work with fathers and families. Specifically, a family-centered approach provides a philosophical model that guides their interactions with the whole aimed at improving family outcomes. Interventionists should also consider adopting a gender-adapted approach, which takes into account the father’s masculinity, role, and unique perspective as an asset, rather than a detriment. This way of engaging fathers is built on a strengths-focused paradigm and evidenced-based practices from the fields of psychology and counseling that empower father’s masculinity to better engage, support, and care for their children. There are unique challenges and assets posed by fathers who strongly adhere to traditional masculinity, which interventionists can effectively navigate armed with knowledge and evidenced-based approaches.