ABSTRACT

This chapter briefly summarizes the main findings from research employing narrative methodologies on fathers of children with special needs conducted by me and my students (Brotherson & Dollahite, 1997; Dollahite, 2003; Dollahite, Marks, & Brotherson, 1998; Dollahite, Marks, & Olson, 2002; Marks & Dollahite, 2001; Olson, Dollahite, & White, 2002). This research is consistent with recent emphasis on narrative methods in the social sciences generally (Dollahite, Hawkins, & Brotherson, 1996; Josselson & Lieblich, 1993; McAdams, 1993; Riessman, 1993; Sarbin, 1986) and with recent narrative studies of fathers of special-needs children (Brotherson, 1995) and fathers and religion (Latshaw, 1998; Marshall, Olsen, Allred, Mandleco, & Dyches, 1998; Palkovitz & Palm, 1998; Webb-Mitchell, 1993).