Para além do prover: vínculo e comunicação no exercício da paternidade de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Among the most studied conditions of atypical development currently stands out the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent impairment in reciprocal social communication and social interaction; and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. In the context of parenting children with ASD, mothers have been the focus of research over the years, and little is known about the parenting of these children from the fathers perspective. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the perceptions of fathers regarding the parental bond and communication in the relationship with a child with ASD. The participants were 15 fathers of children diagnosed with ASD (aged between six and nine years old) and who lived together with them. The sample was given for convenience, from the dissemination of the research on social media. Data were collected through videoconferences with the participants, on a virtual platform, using a semistructured interview script. Data processing was carried out based on a qualitative approach, using the content analysis method. The results showed that the participants have a positive perception regarding the bond and the communication with their children, despite the difficulties they observe in the expressive capacity of the children. As for their conceptions of the paternal bond, the fathers emphasize their understandings mainly in the sense of involvement in the child's life and in the affective engagement. Regarding the implications of the paternal bond for child development, the parents highlighted its importance for the emotional well-being of the children, to guide the child's conduct, and to influence the child's perception of the social and moral roles of the male figure. Most participants consider themselves good parents, since they see themselves present in their children's lives, believe in their potential, consider themselves examples for their children and show them affection. As for communication, although they evaluated it as positive, the parents recognized the existence of some difficulties, and described the strategies they use to compensate for them in circumstances where there are failures in the intelligibility of the child's speech, in teaching situations and in the occurrence of disruptive behaviors. The results of this study contribute to scientific knowledge about parenting children in the context of ASD, a topic that is still little explored in the literature.