Bedouin fathers of children with developmental disabilities—Stress, stigma and collaboration with professionals

Background

Research has not fully elucidated the challenges experienced by the caregivers of children with developmental disabilities (DDs) in different sociocultural contexts. Studies on parents, especially fathers, of children with DDs in the Middle East are especially rare. Similarly, the subject of collaboration between Bedouin fathers and professionals has seen little research. This study fills these gaps by highlighting the experiences of Bedouin fathers raising children with DDs.

Aims

This study answered the following questions: A) Do stigma and stress affect the collaboration between Bedouin fathers and professionals? B) Do relationships exist between stigma, stress and collaboration?

Methods

Eighty-eight Bedouin fathers of children with DDs completed questionnaires on sociodemographic details, stigma, stress and collaboration between parents and professionals. Data were analysed using Pearson correlations, a correlation matrix and hierarchical linear regression.

Results

The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between stigma and stress, a significant negative relationship between stigma and collaboration and a significant negative relationship between stress and collaboration. Three demographic characteristics were associated with greater influence on fathers’ collaboration with professionals: 1) comorbidity in s child’s diagnosis, 2) age of DD diagnosis and 3) father’s age.

Conclusions and implications

The findings emphasise the need to develop tailored intervention programmes to assist fathers in reducing their sense of stigma and stress and in increasing their competence in collaborating with professionals.