“Something was wrong”: A narrative inquiry of becoming a father of a child with an intellectual disability in Ireland

Accessible summary Ten fathers were asked to tell their story of being told that their child was diagnosed with an intellectual disability. They said that initially they were shocked, disappointed, in denial and blamed themselves when the diagnosis was certain. All fathers remembered when they were told and by whom they were told about their child’s diagnosis. Becoming a father was a reason to be happy.Abstract Background In recent years, there has been a growth of research on men’s experiences of becoming fathers, most of which relates to a typically developing child without intellectual disabilities. While some studies have specifically explored the experiences of becoming a father of a child with an intellectual disability, there are few studies from an Irish context. Aim The aim of this study was to present Irish fathers’ narratives within the context of leading up to the diagnosis and the actual diagnosis of a child’s intellectual disability. Method A qualitative narrative inquiry design was used with ten fathers aged 31–48 years through semi‐structured interviews. Results This study is part of a larger study focusing on becoming a father of a child with an intellectual disability in Ireland. The findings related to finding out “something was wrong” with the child are presented. Conclusion Fathers are emotionally affected by the diagnosis of a child’s intellectual disability. Therefore, healthcare professionals need to be cognisant of the emotional upheaval that such a diagnosis can have on fathers and be sensitive to their needs in supporting them through this process.