title: 'Shutting the World Out': An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring the Paternal Experience of Parenting a Young Adult with a Developmental Disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An in-depth exploration of the experience of midlife fathers of developmentally disabled young adults (aged 19-32 years) was motivated by a dearth of research in this area (McKnight, PsyPAG Quarterly, 94, 2015, 10).
  
  
  METHODS
  Five fathers participated in semi-structured interviews which were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method, and Research. London: Sage).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final thematic structure comprises four inter-related themes. They demonstrate a high degree of concern for children's well-being; the joy adult children confers on their father's lives as well as the difficulties men experience in response to the limited opportunities available to their offspring. Importantly findings also illustrate the way in which men struggle to contend with painful emotions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Societal conceptions of masculinity, fatherhood and disability necessarily influence the way fathers experience the world (Yarwood, Fathering, 9, 2011, 150). It is imperative that service providers recognize the particular challenges faced by fathers, seeking ways to better engage and support them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Thackeray
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eatough
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: developmental disability; fathers; interpretative phenomenological analysis; young adults