"I received a leaflet and that is all": Father experiences of a diagnosis of autism

A diagnosis of childhood autism can be an extremely stressful experience for parents but little is known concerning paternal perceptions of the process. This study investigated father perspectives on a diagnosis of autism, through an online survey. An analysis of 184 replies to an open ended item identified the following themes: strong initial emotional response and a range of immediate anxieties about the future, struggle to gain a diagnosis; anger in response to insensitive delivery of diagnosis together with insufficient information at the time and lack of support afterwards. Findings are discussed in relation to gender-differentiated approaches to service delivery and models of disability.