Fathers experience of their child's life limiting condition. Version 1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Fathers experience of their child's life limiting condition. A narrative exploration.

• IRAS ID

  154037

• Contact name

  Oliver Bailey-Pearce

• Contact email

  oliver.bailey-pearce@plymouth.ac.uk

• Research summary

  The aim of the study is to explore how fathers experience their child’s life limiting condition (LLC) and how their experiences influence how they interact with their child, professionals and services. The research will explore what meaning fathers have taken from their experiences, how fathers cope in the knowledge that their child’s life is limited by an illness, and how this affects them and their actions. In addition to this the study will explore how their experiences and narratives are informed by their attachment style. This study will use qualitative methodology. Narrative approaches will be used to understand how fathers make sense and give meaning to their experiences.
  A sample of eight male participants will be recruited. Participants will be recruited through Community Nurses at the paediatric services. Fathers will be included as long as they meet the criteria of ‘father’ and their child has a LLC.
  Each participant will be interviewed twice by the researcher on a one to one basis. Each interview will last between 30 and 90 minutes and will be recorded using a digital audio recorder. The first interview will start with an open ended question, inviting participants to share their story of caring for a child with LLC. The second interview will use the Adult Attachment Interview to measure attachment styles. Following the last interview participants will be offered one follow up debrief session to determine if they need follow-up support. Interviews will be transcribed and small summaries of the overall stories will be produced. The analyses of fathers’ stories will analysed using a narrative approach and will explore how attachment styles inform the narratives. Analysis will generate further understanding regarding fathers’ perceptions and construction of their child’s illness, their own lives and of services.

• REC name

  South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/SW/1066

• Date of REC Opinion

  22 Oct 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion