**10. Father of disabled or hospitalized children**

This category is dedicated to scientific researches that have focused on studying the charac‐ teristics of fatherhood in the context of parents with hospitalized children or parents with children with disabilities. Some studies have investigated various dimensions of parenting in parents of children with any health problems, such as congenital heart disease, leukemia and intellectual disabilities. It is highlighted the prevalence of Down Syndrome as one of the main focus of investigations (Henn & Piccinini, 2010; Pereira-Silva & Dessen, 2006). Overall, the researchers showed the importance of the father figure to children's development, and some of them emphasize the deep involvement of fathers in children's treatment (Chacon, 2011; Henn & Piccinini, 2010; Kruel & Lopes, 2012). Despite the deep involvement, the father usually performs the role of a collaborator in the task of caring for children and the home, providing occasional assistance to the mother (Canho, Neme, & Yamada, 2006; Chacon, 2011). It is possible to perceive the continuity of the traditional division of parental roles, as several studies that show fathers as the main providers of financial support to the family, thus having less time to stay with their children when compared to mothers (Canho, et al., 2006; Chacon, 2011; Henn & Piccinini, 2010).

On the other hand, the partner was identified as being responsible for the pregnancy or its prevention, which refers to an ancient pattern of reproductive allocation of responsibility to women. It was also pointed out the positive aspects of parenthood. Teenage parents were satisfied with their condition as fathers, and reported attachment to their children, even considering the increase of responsibility (Meincke & Carraro, 2009; Trindade & Menandro, 2002). For the subjects of these two studies, the father is the one who works and supports his

Furthermore, family support and encouragement were central to the exercise of adolescent fatherhood. It is emphasized the importance of supporting men at this stage, so that they can experience responsible parenthood with all the changes it encompasses. Family contributes to both providing support and transmitting parental role models (Meincke & Carraro, 2009).

On the other hand, two other articles (Levandowski & Piccinini, 2002, 2006) compared adult and adolescents' fatherhood, and the results showed similar outcome in the two groups, suggesting that age did not appear to be a determining factor in the experience of parenthood. Parents appeared to be responsive to their children, living with them and their mothers

Among the studies analyzed, one refers to the father who had child in his adolescent (Faria, 2007). The major difficulties reported by fathers were the affective approach, the establishment of limits, the aggressiveness, and the construction of adolescent autonomy. Being a parent of a teenager can make the man review his life. Even when this moment is experienced as distressing and conflicting, it can result in a positive solution for the father because of the

In two studies, teenagers answered about the father. In one of them (Wagner, Falcke, Silveira, & Mosmann, 2002), about the family relationship, teenagers show little or no talk to the father, compared to the conversation with the mother, which shows a wide discrepancy between the parental figures. While being evaluated positively, father seems to occupy a peripheral place in adolescents livels' in regards to matters of personal and intimate contact. The other study (Sena & Farias, 2010) presents the importance of paternal role in disciplining and transmitting social norms to adolescents. When this function is not assumed, adolescents demonstrate intolerance and lack of boundaries that culminate in violence displayed in the school context. Based on the assumption that parental involvement is understood as a complex and multide‐ termined phenomenon, the context of adolescence appears to be the focus of studies in the Brazilian scenario because it represents one important aspect of parental participation

This category is dedicated to scientific researches that have focused on studying the charac‐ teristics of fatherhood in the context of parents with hospitalized children or parents with children with disabilities. Some studies have investigated various dimensions of parenting in

broader approach to life, and to his child, because of the gain of autonomy.

nowadays, which it involves specific risk and protective factors.

**10. Father of disabled or hospitalized children**

children, as well as the one who accompanies, educates and prepares them for life.

(Levandowski & Piccinini, 2002, 2006).

50 Parenting in South American and African Contexts

It appears that there are differences in parents' time for assimilating children's disability (Pereira-Silva & Dessen, 2006). The information is usually given by the doctor. However, when the disability does not have a high degree of visibility and prejudice, it will only be seen over time. The shock of the discovery, as well as behaviors and feelings of rejection are reported by both fathers (Chacon, 2011; Kruel & Lopes, 2012) and mothers (Kruel & Lopes, 2012). However, even if fathers have similar feelings than related to the diagnosis of children, cultural beliefs about male behavior seem to affect the exercise of paternity (Chacon, 2011). In this sense, the research of Canho et al. (2006) revealed that fathers have used denial, repression of feelings and rationalization as the main defense mechanisms when facing the diagnosis of children with hearing problems. The paternal figure also seems to adopt an attitude of companion and protection towards the baby and the mother, in addition to being the main responsible for maintaining the optimism of the entire family with regards to the sick child (Kruel & Lopes, 2012).

Most parents refer to the feeling of fear to generate other children with disabilities, as well as low expectations in terms of their total independence. Among parents who have more than one child, most of them acknowledge the existence of differential treatment of the sick child on the basis of his disability (Chacon, 2011). It is stressed the importance of investing the relationship established between parents and health professionals, promoting their participa‐ tion in children's treatment and informing them on how to properly stimulate their children. There is a lack of national surveys on variables related to fathers in families with children with special needs, indicating a promising field for future studies.

In synthesis, it has been noted concern by researchers in investigating paternal participation in various contexts, such as in the cases of different family configurations and adolescence, as discussed previously. Other unusual context is related in having children with disabilities or hospitalized. These situations configure a peculiarity that may cause changes in both the family development and the parenting. Such situations require specific interaction and care from the father with the child, and that even in this kind of situations the traditional roles held by father and mother are displayed.

One summary quantitative of articles analyzed are showed in the Table 1. The category 'The father in the context of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum' had the largest number of articles (n= 22, 24,5%). The majority of the articles was characterized by qualitative approach (n=64, 71%) and transversal research (n= 84, 93%). The survey was the method more used (n=68, 75%) and the father was the main participant in 54 researches (60% of studies).

**Categories Approach Method Participants Transversal X**

The present study aimed to elucidate aspects of paternity in the Brazilian context through the scientific production published in Brazilian journals. The data analyzed showed that most of the existing research on paternity has been produced from 2000, and the interest of researchers seems to increase every year. The articles analyzed indicated that although mothers still appear as the main responsible for child care, fathers have been increasingly engaged in various

In Western societies, it is assumed that men and women's social roles have been changing, creating new expectations, beliefs and attitudes about how parents should act within the family (Jablonski, 2010; Wagner, et al., 2005). Specifically in Brazil, contemporary social changes, which include the entry of women in the labor market and new family configurations, modified the structure and patterns of family functioning, demanding from men a more active role as fathers. Such changes have implications to the family dynamics and to marital relationships, as well as to childcare, and have produced transformations in the roles and functions per‐ formed by each parent (Fleck & Wagner, 2003). The traditional view of fathers as main providers is changing, since women have been also exerting the role of family provider, while fathers have been gradually associated to greater participation in relation to child care (Gauthier, et al., 2004; Jablonski, 2010; Mendonça, et al., 2011; Perucchi & Beirão, 2007; Saraff

However, the present review has shown that researches investigating different family configurations, such as divorced or adoptive parents indicate that men's attitudes seem to follow a pattern, regardless of the family configuration in which they are inserted as fathers or stepfathers. Generally, fathers, even when not biological, seem to be satisfied with their children. These results confirm the literature that show mothers to be the main responsible for children, while fathers are not usually responsible for children's daily care, appearing as

Regarding pregnancy, the literature review demonstrates that, in general, men are in‐ volved in this stage of their partners' lives and report mixed feelings of joy and anxiety.

Survey: 4 Study of case: 3 Observation: 1 Experiment: 1

Men: 2 Movie: 1

Father: 5 Father and mother: 2 Father, mother and children: 2

(N=13) Observation: 1 Women and men: 1

**Table 1.** A quantitative summary of the articles analyzed in function of different criteria.

Quali: 5 Quanti: 2 Mixed: 2

**11. Discussion and conclusion**

aspects of their children's lives.

& Srivastava, 2010; Wagner, et al., 2005).

adjuvants (Jablonski, 2010; Kamers, 2006).

Father of disabled or hospitalized children

(N=9)

**Longitudinal**

53

Paternity in the Brazilian Context http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/57027

> Transversal: 6 Longitudinal: 3



**Table 1.** A quantitative summary of the articles analyzed in function of different criteria.
