Between Caregiving Strain and Adaptation: Fatherhood in the Context of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Bryan V Catama

doi:10.48165/ijrse.2026.6.01.06

Abstract

Despite fathers’ increasing involvement in caregiving, they remain underrepresented in research on children with lifelong neurodevelopmental disabilities. This narrative review examines paternal stress, co-parenting, work-family integration, stigma, and shifting caregiving identities among fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and cerebral palsy. The review synthesizes 10 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025, identified through PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, and integrated qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods evidence across varied sociocultural contexts. Findings show that diagnosis often serves as a major emotional turning point for fathers, followed by ongoing pressures related to stigma, financial strain, career sacrifice, and tension between provider expectations and direct caregiving demands. At the same time, the literature highlights paternal resilience, evolving fathering identities, stronger emotional bonds with children, and the protective value of supportive co-parenting and father-specific interventions, particularly mobile health supports. A key limitation is that the evidence base remains small and is largely drawn from cross-sectional, Western-centered samples. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and more culturally diverse studies to better understand how paternal caregiving develops across the life course and across family contexts.

Keywordsfathersautism spectrum disorderneurodevelopmental disabilitiespaternal stresswork-family integration

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