1. Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
The mental health of fathers caring for their son or daughter with learning disabilities: A systematic review
Kirsty Dunn, Dr Deborah Kinnear, Prof Andrew Jahoda, Dr Alex McConnachie
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
Introduction
While care-giving can be very rewarding, many parent carers have reported that they experience poor mental health. Most research in this area has focussed on mother carers and yet fathers are now taking a more prominent care-giving role with their children. Despite this shift in roles within the family unit, little is known about the mental health of father carers.
As not all family units are the same and not all parents of children with learning disabilities report significant distress, it is important to investigate the psychological processes which determine how or why certain fathers may be affected.
While certain variables within the family unit cannot be changed (e.g. age, gender, type of learning disability), policy can be adapted to best assist those most at risk and fathers psychological processes can be directly targeted for change through therapeutic intervention (Hastings & Beck, 2004).
Research Questions
1) What is the impact of fathers caring for a son/daughter with learning disabilities?
2) Does the mental health and well-being of father carers of a son/daughter with learning disabilities differ from:
i) fathers in the general population?
ii) mother carers of a son/daughter with learning disabilities?
Methods
We will conduct a systematic review, searching four databases using terms on father carers, mental health and learning disabilities. Papers will be selected based on pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria, data extracted, tabulated, and synthesised, and quality assessed.
Results
This review will improve our understanding of the mental health of father carers of a son or daughter with learning disabilities.
References
Hastings, R. P., & Beck, A. (2004). Practitioner review: Stress intervention for parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 45(8),