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Psychological Well‐being in Fathers of Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, and Autism
Author(s) -
Hartley Sigan L.,
Seltzer Marsha Mailick,
Head Lara,
Abbeduto Leonard
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00693.x
Subject(s) - pessimism , psychology , coping (psychology) , autism , fragile x syndrome , developmental psychology , down syndrome , depressive symptoms , clinical psychology , autism spectrum disorder , fragile families and child wellbeing study , young adult , psychiatry , anxiety , philosophy , epistemology
The psychological well‐being of fathers of children with developmental disabilities remains poorly understood. The present study examined depressive symptoms, pessimism, and coping in fathers of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS;n = 59), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs;n = 135), and Fragile X syndrome (n = 46). Fathers of sons or daughters with ASDs reported a higher level of depressive symptoms than the other groups of fathers. Fathers of sons or daughters with DS reported a lower level of pessimism than the other groups of fathers. There were no group differences in paternal coping style. Group differences in paternal depressive symptoms and pessimism were, in part, related to differences in paternal age, the child's behavior problems, risk of having additional children with a disability, and maternal depressive symptoms. Findings from this study can be used to educate providers and design services for fathers during the later parenting years.