Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

An exploration of fathers’ subjective experiences of parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Confronting the realisation that one’s child may have a developmental disability presents a major challenge for any parent. The body of scholarship in this area however, focused mainly on the role that mothers play highlighting a distinct gap within the literature. In an attempt to address this, the study aimed to highlight the experiences of fathers in parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia. The study adopted an Interpretivist framework using a qualitative approach. Consistent with this approach, 14 semi-structured individual interviews were conducted. Fathers across the Cape Metropole area were purposefully recruited and interviewed regarding their experiences in parenting a child with dyspraxia. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to Clarke and Braun’s version of thematic analysis. Ethics principles as stipulated by the University of the Western Cape were strictly adhered to throughout the research process. The thematic domain of ‘experiences’ revealed father’s expectations; their initial reactions; the periphery of father’s emotions; guilt and devastation. Based on the findings of the study, alternative understandings of fathering need to be developed to enable new and more equal ways of being both fathers and men and mothers and women. This is necessary to challenge the limiting essential notions of what is possible for men and women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This study aligns to the United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals in particular, gender equality (SDG-5) and good health and well-being (SDG-3).

  2. Experiences in this study refers to the subjective process of making meaning in parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia and connecting these meanings with personal life experiences (Wong et al. 2015).

  3. Statistics South Africa continues to classify people into population groups, since moving away from the past apartheid-based discrimination. This classification uses a population group-based classification system that is no longer based on a legal definition, but rather on self-classification (StatsSA 2015).

References

  • Al-Yagon, M. (2015). Fathers and mothers of children with learning disabilities: Links between emotional and coping resources. Learning Disability Quarterly, 38(2), 112–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association. (2013). The role of the modern day father. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/changing-father.aspx. Accessed Oct 2016.

  • Astone, N. M., & Peters, H. E. (2014). Longitudinal influences on men's lives: Research from the transition to fatherhood project and beyond. Fathering, 12(2), 161–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baum, S. (2007). The use of family therapy for people with learning disabilities. Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, 1(2), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.1108/17530180200700014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becvar, D. S. (Ed.). (2013). The handbook of family resilience. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berryhill, M. B., Soloski, K. L., Durtschi, J. A., & Adams, R. R. (2016). Family process: Early child emotionality, parenting stress, and couple relationship quality. Personal Relationships, 23, 23–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bregman, O. C., & White, C. M. (Eds.). (2011). Bringing systems thinking to life: Expanding the horizons for Bowen family systems theory. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brescoll, V. L., & Uhlmann, E. L. (2005). Attitudes toward traditional and nontraditional parents. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 29, 436–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cable, G. (2017). Fathers experiences of single parenting . Masters dissertation. University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

  • Cabrera, N. J., Tamis-LeMonda, C. S., Bradley, R. H., Hofferth, S., & Lamb, M. E. (2000). Fatherhood in the twenty-first century. Child Development, 71(1), 127–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Over coming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colley, M. (2006). Living with dyspraxia: A guide for adults with developmental dyspraxia. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conway, D. (2008). The masculine state in crisis state response to war resistance in apartheid South Africa. Men and Masculinities, 10(4), 422–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cortiella, C., & Horowitz, S. H. (2014). The state of learning disabilities. New York: National Centre for Learning Disabilities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Damaske, S. (2013). Work, family, and accounts of mothers' lives using discourse to navigate intensive mothering ideals. Sociology Compass, 7(6), 436–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delmore-Ko, P., Pancer, S. M., Hunsberger, B., & Pratt, M. (2000). Becoming a parent: The relation between prenatal expectations and postnatal experience. Journal of Family Psychology, 14(4), 625–640. https://doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.14.4.625.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Social Development / Department of Women, Children and people with Disabilities/UNICEF. (2012). Children with disabilities in South Africa: A situation analysis 2001–2011. Pretoria: UNICEF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elster, A. B., & Lamb, M. E. (2009). Adolescent fatherhood. London: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foulder-Hughes, L., & Prior, C. (2014). Supporting pupils with DCD and ASD with the transition to secondary school. Research in education , 79–92.

  • Freeman, T. (2003). Loving fathers or deadbeat dads: The crisis of fatherhood in popular culture. Gender identity and reproduction, 33–49.

  • Gibbs, J., Appleton, J., & Appleton, R. (2007). Dyspraxia or developmental coordination disorder? Unravelling the enigma. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 92(6), 534–539.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, J. A., Dixon, M. A., & Hazen-Swann, N. (2016). Coaching dads: Understanding managerial implications of fathering through sport. Journal of Sport Management, 30, 40–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, A., & Milner, S. (2011). What is "new" about fatherhood?: The social construction of fatherhood in France and the UK. Men and Masculinities, 14, 588–606. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X11412940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haefner, J. (2014). An application of Bowen family systems theory. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 35, 835–841.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hakoama, M., & Ready, B. S. (2011). Fathering quality, father-child relationship, and child's developmental outcomes. The American Association of Behavioural and Social Sciences Journal, 15.

  • Haydon-Laurelut, M. (2011). Disablement, systemic therapy and people with learning disabilities. Context, 114, 7–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, T. (2002). Parents of children with disabilities: Resilience, coping, and future expectations. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 14(2), 159–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobson, B. (2004). Making men into fathers: Men, masculinities and the social politics of fatherhood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, C., Casey, D., Shaw, D., & Murphy, K. (2013). Rigour in qualitative case-study research. Nurse Researcher, 20, 12–17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ives, J. (2014). Men, maternity and moral residue: Negotiating the moral demands of the transition to first time fatherhood. Sociology of Health and Illness, 36(7), 1003–1019.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, K. (2017). An exploration of fathers’ subjective experiences of parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia during middle childhood. The University of the Western Cape, Psychology. Cape Town: Unpublished master's thesis.

  • Jain, S., Saranga, M. G., Douglas, Z., Betron, M., & Fritz, K. (2011). Allowing men to care - fatherhood and child security project: A program to engage men on HIV, violence and caregiving in South Africa. Support and technical assistance resources. AIDSTAR One: Task Order 1 .

  • Johnson, M. S., & Young, A. A., Jr. (2016). Diversity and meaning in the study of black fatherhood. Du Bois Review, 13(1), 5–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jongmans, M. J., Smits-Engelsman, B. C., & Shoemaker, M. M. (2003). Consequences of comorbidity of developmental coordination disorder and learning disabilities for severity and pattern of perceptual-motor dysfunction. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36(6), 528–537.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur, G., & Scior, K. (2009). Systemic working in learning disability services: A UK wide survey. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 213–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3156.2009.00553.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, T., Ramisch, J., & Carolan, M. (2014). Relationships of children with autism spectrum disorders and their fathers. Qualitative Report, 19(33), 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khatri, A., & De Sousa, A. (2015). Guilt: Dissecting the construct (A short commentary). Indian Journal of Applied Research, 5(7), 650–653.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight, K. (2013). The changing face of the 'good mother': Trends in research into families with a child with intellectual disability, and some concerns. Disability and society, 28(5), 660–673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb, M. E. (2004). The role of the father in child development. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, inc..

    Google Scholar 

  • Leung, L. (2015). Validity, reliability, and generalisability in qualitative research. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 4(3), 324–327. https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.161306.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K. M., Guest, G., & Namey, E. (2005). Qualitative research methods: A data collector's field guide. North Carolina: Family Health International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makusha, T., & Richter, L. (2015). Non-resident black fathers in South Africa. Fathering: Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malterud, K., Siersma, V. D., & Guassora, A. D. (2016). Sample size in qualitative interview studies: Guided by information power. Qualitative Health Research, 26(13), 1753–1760. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732315617444.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marsiglio, W., Day, R. D., & Lamb, M. E. (2000). Exploring fatherhood diversity: Implications for conceptualising father involvment. Marriage and Family Review, 29, 269–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsiglio, W., Roy, K., & Fox, G. L. (2005). Situtated fathering: A focus on physical and social spheres. Maryland: Rowen and Littlefield publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mavungu, E. M. (2013). Provider expectations and father involvement: Learning from experiences of poor "absent fathers" in Gauteng, South Africa. African Sociological Review, 17(1), 65–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, T. (2011). Making sense of fatherhood: Gender, caring and work. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyahara, M., & Baxter, D. G. (2011). Children with "dyspraxia": A survey of diagnostic heterogeneity use and perceived effectiveness of interventions. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 23, 439–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Novak, C., Lingam, R., Coad, J., & Emond, A. (2011). 'Providing more scaffolding': Parenting a child with developmental co-ordination disorder, a hidden disability. Child: Care, Health and Development, 38(6), 829–835.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, S., Ward, G., Turner, A., Taylor, C. M., & Bark, C. (2013). The social impact of living with developmental coordination disorder as a 13 year old. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76, 362–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, J. M., Barnett, A. L., & Henderson, S. E. (2001). Clumsiness, dyspraxia and developmental coordination disorder: How do health and educational professionals in the UK define the terms? Child: Care, health and development, 399–412.

  • Pleck, J., & Masciadrelli, B. P. (2004). Paternal involvement by US resident fathers: Levels, sources and consequences. In M. E. Lamb (Ed.), The role of the father in child development. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poslawsky, I. E., Naber, F. B., Van Daalen, E., & Van Engeland, H. (2014). Parental reaction to early diagnosis of their children's autism spectrum disorder: An exploratory study. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 45(3), 294–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prado, E. L., Abubakar, A. A., Abbeddou, S., Jimenez, E. Y., Some, J. W., & Ouedraogo, J.-B. (2014). Extending the developmental milestones checklist for use in a different context in sub-Saharan Africa. Acta Paediatrica, 103, 447–454.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richter, L., & Morrell, R. (2006). Baba: Men and fatherhood in South Africa. Cape Town: Human Sciences Research Council Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richter, L., Desmond, C., Hosegood, V., Madhavan, S., Makiwane, M., Makusha, T., . . . Swartz, S. (2012). Fathers and other men in the lives of children and families. Strategies to overcome poverty and inequality: Towards Carnegie III (pp. 1-27). Cape Town: Human sciences research council.

  • Rizzo, K. M., Schiffrin, H. H., & Liss, M. (2013). Insight inot the parent paradox: Mental health outcomes of intensive mothering. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22, 614–620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, J., & Wilcox, W. B. (2006). The importance of fathers in the healthy development of children. Washington: U.S Department of health and human services.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ruddicks, S. (1997). The idea of fatherhood. In H. L. Nelson (Ed.), Feminism and families. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saltzman, W. R., Pynoos, R. S., Lester, P., Layne, C. M., & Beardslee, W. R. (2013). Enhancing family resilience through family narrative co-construction. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 16, 294–310.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkadi, A., Kristiansson, R., Oberklaid, F., & Bremberg, S. (2008). Fathers' involvement and children's developmental outcomes: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Acta Paediatrica, 97, 153–158.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schacht, P. M., Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. T. (2009). Fathering in family context and child adjustment: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(6), 790–797.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J. (2008). Gendering in infant feeding discourses: The good mother and the absent father. New Zealand Sociology, 23(2), 61–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schooreel, T., & Verbruggen, M. (2016). Use of family-friendly work arrangements and work-family conflict: Crossover effects in dual-earner couples. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 21(1), 119–132.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M., & Darling, R. B. (2007). Ordinary families, special children: A systems approach to childhood disability (3rd ed.). London: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe, D., & Faye, C. (2009). A second look at debriefing practices: Madness in our method? Ethics and Behaviour, 19(5), 432–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shefer, T., Stevens, G., & Clowes, L. (2010). Men in Africa: Masculinities, materiality and meaning. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 20(4), 511–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith-Acuna, S. (2011). Systems theory in action: Applications to individual, couples, and family therapy. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons inc..

    Google Scholar 

  • StatsSA. (2015). Mid-year population estimates. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinman, K. J., Mostofsky, S. H., & Denckla, M. B. (2010). Toward a narrower, more pragmatic view of developmental dyspraxia. Journal of Child Neurology, 71–81.

  • Tanaka, Y., Yoshida, A., Kawahata, N., Hashimato, R., & Obayashi, T. (1996). Diagnostic dyspraxia: Clinical characteristics responsible lesion and possible underlying mechanism. Brain, 119, 859–873.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Terre Blanche, M., Durheim, K., & Painter, D. (2011). Research in practice. South Africa: UCT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • van den Berg, W., Hendricks, L., Hatcher, A., Peacock, D., Godana, P., & Dworkin, S. (2013). 'One man can': Shifts in fatherhood beliefs and parenting practices following a gender transformative programme in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Gender and Development, 21(1), 111–125.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Visagie, A. (2010). Research methodology. Midrand: Midrand Graduate Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, F. (Ed.). (2012). Normal family processes: Growing diversity and complexity. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, F. (2016). Strengthening family resilience (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, Y. J., Levante, R. F., Welsh, M. M., Zaitsoff, A., Garvin, M., King, D., & Aguilar, M. (2015). Masculinity priming: Testing the causal effects of activating subjective masculinity experiences on self-esteem. Journal of Men's Studies, 23(1), 98–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamada, A., Kato, M., Suzuki, M., Suzuki, M., Watanabe, N., Akechi, T., & Furukawa, T. A. (2012). Quality of life of parents raising children with pervasive developmental disorders. BMC Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-12-119.

  • Zoja, L. (1995). Growth and guilt: Psychology and the limits of development. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zwicker, J. G., Missiuna, C., Harris, S. R., & Boyd, L. A. (2012). Developmental coordination disorder: A review and update. European Journal of Paediatric Neurology, 16, 573–581.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the Dr. A. Pedro for her valuable contributions towards facilitating access to participants.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

    Kyle Jackson & Michelle Andipatin

Authors
  1. Kyle Jackson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michelle Andipatin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kyle Jackson.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jackson, K., Andipatin, M. An exploration of fathers’ subjective experiences of parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia. Curr Psychol 40, 4863–4874 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00433-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00433-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation