Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, USA.
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Disabil Rehabil. 2021 Dec;43(24):3562-3573. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1745907. Epub 2020 Apr 7.
Most studies on parenting children with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities have focused on stress and coping; however, research has shown many rewards in parenting such children. Additionally, most research has assessed mothers' rather than fathers' perspectives. To take steps toward filling these literature gaps, we asked fathers of children with Down syndrome about their parenting experiences.
Participants were 175 fathers of children with Down syndrome. Open-ended questions asked fathers what they found most rewarding and challenging about parenting a child with Down syndrome. Researchers coded responses using inductive content analysis.
Key themes for rewards included: (1) Child's Positive Attributes and Behaviors; (2) Rewarding Father-Child Relationship; (3) Child Has Positively Changed Father; and (4) Father's Positive Relationship with Others. Key themes for challenges included: (1) Father's Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors; (2) Child's Challenging Behavior and Development; (3) System and Institutional Problems; and (4) Other People's Negative Attitudes/Behaviors.
Rewards mainly concerned the father-child bond and the loving, happy child. Fathers rarely mentioned financial stressors or their children's negative behaviors. Instead, many fathers reported children's speech problems. Our findings may assist healthcare professionals in providing more beneficial resources and interventions (especially language-related ones) to families with a child with Down syndrome.Implications for rehabilitationConsistent with a positive psychology approach, fathers reported more rewards than challenges in raising a child with Down syndrome.There may be a need for greater involvement of fathers in language interventions for children with Down syndrome.Healthcare professionals can assist parents of children with Down syndrome in recognizing parenting rewards.
大多数关于养育唐氏综合征和其他智力障碍儿童的研究都集中在压力和应对上；然而，研究表明，养育这些孩子有很多好处。此外，大多数研究都是评估母亲的观点，而不是父亲的观点。为了填补这些文献空白，我们询问了唐氏综合征儿童的父亲们他们的育儿经验。
参与者为 175 名唐氏综合征儿童的父亲。开放性问题询问父亲们在养育唐氏综合征儿童方面最有收获和最具挑战性的事情。研究人员使用归纳内容分析对回答进行编码。
奖励的主要主题包括：（1）孩子的积极特质和行为；（2）奖励的父子关系；（3）孩子积极地改变了父亲；（4）父亲与他人的积极关系。挑战的主要主题包括：（1）父亲的想法、情绪和行为；（2）孩子的挑战性行为和发育；（3）系统和机构问题；（4）他人的消极态度/行为。
奖励主要涉及父子关系和充满爱、快乐的孩子。父亲很少提到经济压力或孩子的负面行为。相反，许多父亲报告了孩子的言语问题。我们的研究结果可能有助于医疗保健专业人员为唐氏综合征儿童家庭提供更有益的资源和干预措施（特别是与语言相关的干预措施）。
与积极心理学方法一致，父亲在养育唐氏综合征儿童方面报告的收获多于挑战。唐氏综合征儿童的父亲可能需要更多地参与语言干预。医疗保健专业人员可以帮助唐氏综合征儿童的父母认识到育儿的好处。
