FATHERS CHILD-CARE INVOLVEMENT WITH CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES

The present study examined fathers' involvement in childcare and their marital stress levels, functioning styles, and support for childcare in 23 two-parent families that had a preschool-age child with a disability and 24 two-parent families with a nondisabled preschool-age child. No significant differences existed between the two groups of fathers on measures of paternal involvement, marital stress, and functioning styles within the family. Likewise, there were no significant differences in paternal involvement as a function of the child's disability. The data are discussed in terms of the socioeconomic resources of the parents, appropriate early education programs for young children with disabilities, and the ability of fathers to care for children with disabilities.