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Journal Article Parte de nuestro énfasis es el de construir una comunidad consciente del autismo y brindar ayuda a esas familias afectadas por el mismo. Hemos encontrado que, para familias que reciben un diagnóstico de autismo referente a un ser querido, el tener un padre con experiencia para guiarlos a navegar “el sistema” (que a veces suele ser complicado y puede causar mucha frustración para los padres) es muy beneficioso. Nuestra labor es la de ofrecerle a nuestras familias la información necesaria para que puedan tomar ACCIÓN rápidamente y así poder comenzar a ayudar a su niño a superarse. Aquí …
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Journal Article TACA provides education, support, and hope to families living with autism. The goal is to speed up the cycle time from the autism diagnosis to effective treatments. Local chapters across the United States are organized and run by parent volunteers. Activities include family events, educational seminars, and support meetings known as "Coffee Talks." This resource provides information about TACA’s Parent Mentoring program and explains how their experienced parent mentors guide new parents on the autism journey.
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Journal Article Literature in developmental psychology suggests that mothers and fathers both play unique and important roles in their children’s development. However, research investigating the unique contributions and psychological functioning of fathers of youth with developmental disabilities, and the role that fathers play in effective intervention, remains limited. Whereas evidence suggests that parent-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can lead to increased engagement from parents, and reduced stress and psychopathology commonly experienced by parents of youth with…
Webinar
This Webinar discusses challenges faced by fathers of special needs children and resources available to fathers and programs to help address those needs. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Background: There is a relative lack of measures tailored to the study of fathers of children with developmental challenges (DCs). The goal of the current study was to create and validate a brief measure designed to capture the perceptions and experiences of these fathers. The Fathers of Children with Developmental Challenges (FCDC) questionnaire was designed to assess fathers' perceptions of the supports for, and challenges to, their efforts to be involved in the rearing of their children. Method: Participants were 101 fathers of children with DCs who completed an online survey. Scale…
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Journal Article Background: Fathers have unique influences on children's development, and particularly in the development of social skills. Although father-child relationship influences on children's social competence have received increased attention in general, research on fathering in families of children with developmental delays (DD) is scant. This study examined the pathway of influence among paternal intrusive behaviour, child social skills and child self-regulatory ability, testing a model whereby child regulatory behaviour mediates relations between fathering and child social skills. Methods:…
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Journal Article Background: Raising a child with a disability places considerable demands and stress on parents, which can contribute to mental health difficulties. Research has primarily focused on mothers' mental health, and our understanding of the effects on fathers remains limited. The factors that place fathers at increased risk of mental health difficulties are also poorly understood. This study aimed to redress these gaps by reporting on the mental health of a large sample of fathers of children with an intellectual disability (ID) (aged 3-15 years), comparing this to published Australian norms and…
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Journal Article The authors compared the involvement in children's development and education of 38 fathers of preschoolers with hearing loss to the involvement of a matched group of 36 fathers of preschoolers with normal hearing, examining correlations between child, father, and family characteristics. Fathers completed self-reports regarding their parental involvement and parenting self-efficacy and reported on their family cohesion and adaptability. Mothers also reported on their husbands' involvement. Similarly high levels of involvement on the part of both groups of fathers were found. Involvement…
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Journal Article There is an increasing awareness among early childhood professionals of the importance of father-child relationships in child development, and in supporting the father's identity so that he, like the mother, is a key figure in the child's life. There coexists a lag in empirical data on fathers of children with special needs, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents of young children with ASD report higher than average rates of stress and decreased self-efficacy with child rearing. Because ASD is the number one occurring developmental disability in the United States, with one in…
