ArticleFathers' Experience With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Nursing Implications
Section snippets
Significance of Fathers
Children with developmental delays, an early warning sign for ASD, demonstrated initial and sustained improvements in behavior and development of cognitive and language skills when their fathers were actively engaged with the children and their therapies (Bagner, 2013). The families also reported improved family cohesion, stability, and well-being when the fathers were actively engaged (Bagner, 2013). No studies were found examining children with ASD and actively engaged fathers, but because
Method
A single-case, multiple-participant, phenomenological approach case study was conducted to describe the experience of fathers of children with ASD. A phenomenological approach is used when the aim of the study is hearing, understanding, and accurately telling the story of the research participants to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon (Munhall, 2012). Case studies are an appropriate research method to use when very little information exists about the phenomenon and the phenomenon is
Results
The characteristics of fathers and their children in this study are similar to the national characteristics of families and children with ASD. All of the fathers in the study stated that this was the first time they were asked about their experience with ASD. The fathers in the study had eight male and two female children, similar to the incidence of ASD in the general population of 4.5:1 male to female (Baio, 2014). Two fathers identified themselves as the primary caregiver for their children
Discussion
Fathers in this study had experiences similar to those of mothers of children with ASD that were identified in previous studies. Mothers in previous studies reported the adjustments they made related to ASD and the burden of being the caregiver for children with ASD (Bekhet et al., 2012, Hoogsteen and Woodgate, 2013, Khanna et al., 2011, Meirsschaut et al., 2010, Myers et al., 2009). The needs of mothers in previous studies included money, teamwork (social support), honesty, action, and time (
Nursing Implications
Nurses and advance practice nurses are in a unique position to advocate for families of children with ASD as they face challenges, address their needs, and overcome their grief and loss to achieve resiliency. Nurses are the eyes and ears of the health care team and the voice for the parents, making nurses a critical connection between the parents and health care team. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation (McCubbin and McCubbin, 1988, McCubbin and McCubbin, 1993) is
Conclusion
Findings from this study of fathers of children with ASD are similar to those of previous studies in mothers of children with ASD. The findings include their adjustment to the challenges of ASD, their needs to overcome the burden of caring for children with ASD, and their feelings of grief and loss. Nurses have an important role as the eyes and ears of the health care team and the voice for the parents, thus creating a critical connection between the parents and health care team. Nurses can
Linda Frye, Assistant Professor, Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX.
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Linda Frye, Assistant Professor, Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX.
Conflicts of interest: None to report.