A harder thing than triumph: roles of fathers of children with disabilities.

Abstract

Researchers have recently begun to address the role of fathers of children with disabilities, which often casts the father as peripheral to the child's development. However, my review of the relevant literature indicates that these fathers express more interest in the needs of their children than customarily thought. Many fathers apparently want more involvement than they currently have but are constrained by "gate-keeping" roles of mothers and the structure of their children's programs. Further, research and popular literature show that although fathers have recognized roles to play, it is difficult for them to receive credit for their efforts, which may be due to the lack of routines to foster father/male involvement in programs for children with disabilities.