School involvement experiences of fathers of children with deafblindness

This pilot study examines the school involvement experiences of fathers of children with deafblindness. Survey data were collected from 25 fathers of children with deafblindness in the United States. Data addressed fathers' frequency of school involvement activities, roles in their family, satisfaction in their school involvement, resources and knowledge for school involvement, and emotional support. The findings of this study suggest that these fathers may be more likely to be present for formal discussion with their child's teachers/therapists but less likely to engage in frequent ongoing informal communication with their child's teacher/therapists. Findings regarding fathers' satisfaction suggest that fathers may be looking for additional opportunities to volunteer in school settings or to further their knowledge through workshops or training opportunities. Fathers reported having relatively lower levels of time, energy, and resources to help out at their child's school. Fathers reported that they may be more apt to experience informal supports through their co-parents, family, or friends, than more formal supports from schools or organizations. Exploratory analyses of the associations between these different facets of fathers' school involvement suggest that greater resources and knowledge for fathers of children with deafblindness may be associated with more frequent school involvement and overall satisfaction regarding school involvement. Implications for future research and professional practice are discussed.