Exploring fathers' perceptions of parenting a child with Asperger syndrome

Maeve Halloran, John Sweeney, Owen Doody

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study explores Irish fathers' perceptions of parenting a child with Asperger syndrome (AS). Ethical approval was granted by the service provider, and Husserlian phenomenological approach facilitated the exploration. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of nine fathers in the West region of Ireland. Data were transcribed and analysed using Colaizzi's (1978) method. The study highlighted that parenting a child with AS is an arduous task, but while there are difficulties, many positive aspects to their parenting experience were reported. Overall, the study highlights the importance of listening to parents and their initial concerns regarding their child's development.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)198-213
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Intellectual Disabilities
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2013

Keywords

  • Asperger syndrome
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • Disability
  • Fathers' perceptions
  • Parental stress

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