Father involvement in the signposts for building better behaviour program: outcomes and predictors of participation

The Signposts program is an evidence-based intervention system for parents of children with intellectual disability and challenging behaviours. This research aimed to provide an investigation of the outcomes associated with father participation in Signposts alongside mothers, and to explore the impact and inter-relationships between a range of identified risk factors (including child characteristics, stress, and contextual factors) and resistance factors (including coping approach, intrapersonal, and social-ecological characteristics) on father participation with mothers in the program. The research was conducted as two studies. Study One involved an initial investigation of the outcomes for mothers associated with father participation in the Signposts Statewide program. Pre to postprogram changes were calculated for 134 mothers who participated in Signposts with fathers and 483 mothers who participated without fathers. Results suggested that although mothers in both groups benefitted from the program, the mean pre to postprogram effect size was notably larger for mothers who participated with fathers. A series of one-way between-groups analysis of covariance (ANCOVAs) was also conducted. After controlling for preprogram differences between groups, results indicated that mothers who participated with fathers were significantly less hassled in relation to their needs as parents following participation in Signposts. Study Two involved a Pilot Study that tested two measures of beliefs regarding the role of the father with a sample of 25 practitioners, and included both a quantitative and qualitative phase. The quantitative phase of the study involved the collection of preprogram questionnaires from seven practitioners, and preprogram, postprogram, and follow-up questionnaires from 45 mother-father dyads who participated in Signposts together, and 30 mother-father dyads where the mother participated in Signposts, but the father did not. A series of one-way ANCOVAs was conducted, with mothers who participated with fathers reporting significantly lower postprogram parenting hassles, and improved marital and family functioning after controlling for preprogram differences. Relationships between risk and resistance factors were examined, and direct logistic regression performed to investigate how these factors supported or inhibited father participation in Signposts. The full model was statistically significant, with two variables, paternal beliefs regarding the importance of the father’s nurturing role and preprogram paternal ratings of child disruptive behaviour making unique contributions to the model. Phase Two of the study involved the conduct of semi-structured interviews with eight Signposts practitioners, nine fathers who had recently participated in the program, and seven fathers whose partners had recently participated in Signposts. A number of themes were identified which augmented the findings from the quantitative phase of the study. The results of this research are important as they highlight a range of program benefits for mothers, fathers, and children associated with father participation in Signposts. These are of particular significance in light of research describing the increased stress experienced by mothers of children with a disability. This research also adds to the theoretical and clinical knowledge-base by developing and testing a model of father participation, which may assist researchers and practitioners to identify factors that support or inhibit paternal involvement in the program.