“It’s a Balancing Act”: Autistic Fathers Navigating Parenting in Everyday Life
Chris Edwards, Abigail M.A. Love, Ru Ying Cai, Kees-jan Archbald, Dean Dickson, Sean Hynes, Abel Trindade, Sarah Edwards, Bronwyn Leigh, Vicki GibbsBackground:
Researchers increasingly recognize Autistic parents as an important source of insight into Autistic adulthood and family life, yet the perspectives of Autistic people who identify as fathers remain almost entirely absent from research. Fathers have distinct experiences, and the absence of their stories and perspectives limits understanding of Autistic parenting more broadly. Our study addressed this gap by exploring how Autistic fathers understand and experience parenting.
Methods:
We co-produced the study with four Autistic fathers who contributed to design, interview development, and analysis. Nineteen Autistic fathers took part in semi-structured interviews, either spoken or written, depending on their preference. We analyzed the data using reflexive thematic analysis informed by constructionist and participatory research principles.
Results:
Our analysis generated five themes: (1)
Conclusion:
Autistic fathers’ accounts deepen understanding of Autistic adulthood and family life. Their experiences show that fatherhood can strengthen identity and connection while exposing the limits of systems that rarely recognize Autistic needs. These fathers’ insights call for change in how research, policy, and services engage with Autistic people and their families.