2018 Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 119-131
To obtain information to support fathers of children with disabilities, a modified grounded theory approach (M-GTA) was used to analyze “the process by which fathers of children with spina bifida cultivate social capital.” Subjects were 11 fathers of children with spina bifida who ranged in age from infancy to elementary school age. Analysis of their responses yielded 17 concepts comprising 6 categories. Because their child was disabled, fathers were 1) Resolved to Protect [Their Families]. 2) Closeness to [One's] Wife was a core category that facilitated 3) An Interest in Greater Community and 4) The Desire for a Support Network. Fathers had an informal network consisting of fellow fathers and neighbors and a formal network consisting of patient/family associations (groups of parents of children with the same disability). Moreover, this fostered 5) Trust in [One’s] Neighbors and Acquaintances and 6) A Willingness to Contribute to the Community. Encouraging participation by fathers (e.g. in PTA or local events), regardless of whether or not their children have disabilities, should help them form networks and cultivate/accumulate social capital.
