THE IMPACT OF MARITAL SATISFACTION, CHILDREN'S DISABILITY, AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS ON FATHER INVOLVEMENT

Father involvement is embodied in the diverse ways through which the father engages with the child and can be considered a major challenge. Amongst the factors linked to father’s involvement, marital satisfaction and family characteristics are of primary importance. This study aimed to reveal potential differences between mothers and fathers with and without a child with disabilities regarding their subjective views towards father involvement. Moreover, to identify potential predictors of father involvement. A total number of 146 parents (fathers: n = 67 and mothers: n = 79) participated in the study. They were administered the Father Involvement Scale (Bragiel Kaniok, 2011) and the Marital Satisfaction Scale (Braun-Galkowska, 2007). Results suggested that family characteristics and marital satisfaction predict subjective views toward father involvement. Results are discussed concerning their implications for future theory, methodology, and counseling.