.......................................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter One: Statement of Purpose ................................................................................................ 9 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 10 Background ............................................................................................................................... 12 Statement of Problem and Purpose ........................................................................................... 15 Research Question ..................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................. 16 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 17 Father Participation is Important ............................................................................................... 17 Research on Increasing Father Participation ............................................................................. 18 The PLAY Project Pilot Study .................................................................................................. 20 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 22 Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 23 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 24 ASD Fathers‟ Participation 5 Participants and Setting ............................................................................................................. 24 Recruitment of Survey Participants ....................................................................................... 25 Recruitment of Focus Group Participants ............................................................................. 31 Procedures ................................................................................................................................. 34 Survey .................................................................................................................................... 34 Survey Data Collection Procedures ....................................................................................... 35 Focus Group Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................. 35 Data Analysis Procedures ...................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 4: Results ......................................................................................................................... 39 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 40 Location of Training.................................................................................................................. 40 Scheduling Days for Training ................................................................................................... 42 Gender of Trainers .................................................................................................................... 43 Participants of Training ............................................................................................................. 44 Format of Training .................................................................................................................... 47 Fun and Effective Training ....................................................................................................... 50 Base of Training ........................................................................................................................ 51 ASD Fathers‟ Participation 6 Participation Request................................................................................................................. 53 Stress ......................................................................................................................................... 54 Child Behavior and Communication ......................................................................................... 55 Frequency of Training ............................................................................................................... 57 Length of Training .................................................................................................................... 59 Analysis of the Effects of Demographics on Survey Responses .............................................. 59 Effects of Family Income on Preference of Parent Training Features .................................. 61 Effects of Father Age on Preferences of Parent Training Features ....................................... 63 Chapter 5: Discussion ................................................................................................................... 65 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 66 Programmatic Factors that Positively Impact Father Participation ........................................... 66 Flexible Scheduling (Location, Days and Times). ................................................................ 66 Format of Training................................................................................................................. 68 Directly Request Father Participation. ................................................................................... 71 Stress. ..................................................................................................................................... 72 Frequency and Duration. ....................................................................................................... 72 Behavior and Communication. .............................................................................................. 72 ASD Fathers‟ Participation 7 Factors that were either Unimportant or to be Avoided ........................................................ 72 Implications ............................................................................................................................... 73 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 73 Future Research ......................................................................................................................... 74 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 74 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 75 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................... 79 Letters sent to SKC and PLAY Project Databases and author‟s professional contacts. ....... 79 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................... 81 Fathers of Children with Autism Parent Training Survey ..................................................... 81 Appendix C ............................................................................................................................... 84 Focus Group Questions ......................................................................................................... 84 Appendix D ............................................................................................................................... 85 SKC Letter ............................................................................................................................. 85 ESCC Letter ........................................................................................................................... 86 ASD Fathers‟ Participation 8