Table 3.

Solutions to improve interactions and parent–professional relationships between fathers of children with disabilities and HCPs.

Theme n = number of utterances % of Solutions	Subtheme n = number of utterances % of Theme	Sub-subtheme	Description	Father's utterances n (% of total)	HCPs' utterances n (% of total)	Total utterances n (% of Theme)
Solutions for HCPs N = 46 65.7%	Communication strategies N = 20 43.5%	Inclusion and direct attention	To include fathers in conversations and direct attention to them in interactions.	1 (12.5)	7 (84.5)	8 (40.0)
		Time	To take more time when interacting with fathers.	1 (33.3)	2 (66.7)	3 (15.0)
		Adjustment, individualization	To adjust communication strategies to father's educational level, culture, values, comprehension level, and interests.	1 (33.3)	2 (66.7)	3 (15.0)
		Positive focus	To focus on strengths and positive aspects.	2 (100)	0 (0)	2 (10.0)
		Practicality	To make conversation practical for fathers and outline how can they help, be educational.	1 (50.0)	1 (50.0)	2 (10.0)
		Active listening	To listen actively to fathers and their observations.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (5.0)
		Clear expectations	To outline expectations from the start.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (5.0)
	Total			6 (30.0)	14 (70.0)	20 (100)
	Assessment, treatment and follow-up N = 12 26.1%	Involvement in intervention session	To involve fathers in interventions sessions.	1 (16.7)	5 (83.3)	6 (50.0)
		Involvement in assessment sessions.	To involve fathers in assessments and screening sessions.	0 (0)	2 (100)	2 (16.6)
		Visual supports for home programs.	To develop visual supports for home programs and include pictures of male figures.	2 (100)	0 (0)	2 (16.6)
		Follow-up	To follow up with fathers if they are absent from the session by providing updates and keeping them informed.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (8.3)
		Assessment setting modification	To modify assessment setting by including a double-sided mirror.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (8.3)
	Total			3 (25.0)	9 (75.0)	12 (100)
	Appointments and scheduling N = 9 19.5%	Agenda	To consider both parents' agendas and accommodate father's schedule for him to be present.	1 (14.3)	6 (85.7)	7 (77.7)
		Crucial timepoints	To insist on seeing both parents at crucial timepoints (initial assessment, diagnosis, planning for treatment, re-assessments).	0 (0)	2 (100)	2 (22.2)
	Total			1 (11.1)	8 (88.8)	9 (100)
	Fair consideration of fathers vs. mothers N = 4 8.6%	-	HCP to offer fair attention to fathers and mothers by considering them as equal parent-partners.	1 (25.0)	3 (75.0)	4 (100)
	Total			1 (25.0)	3 (75.0)	4 (100)
	Consideration of cultural differences and values N = 1 2.1%	-	HCP to consider cultural difference and values that might be at play (their own vs. patient's) and be sensitive to those factors when interacting with families.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (100)
	Total			0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (100)
Education and awareness N = 11 15.7%	Formal education curriculum for trainees N = 6 54.5%	-	Refers to the development and inclusion of an educational module (for trainees) that is specific to family-centered care in the formal curriculum within the health-sciences programs (pediatric-related sections).	0 (0)	6 (100)	6 (54.5)
	Continuing education for HCPs N = 4 36.4%	-	Refers to the development and launch of a continuing educational module that is specific to family-centered care for practicing clinicians in the field of childhood disability.	0 (0)	4 (100)	4 (36.3)
	Fathers' awareness N = 1 9.0%	-	Refers to the development and launch of knowledge translation material to raise awareness of fathers (and other family members) about their positive contributions to child's health and family's well-being when they are actively involved and engaged in child's healthcare and upbringing.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (9.1)
	Total			0 (0)	11 (100)	11 (100)
Healthcare services and media N = 11 15.7%	Access N = 5 45.4%	-	Refers to improving access, transparency and visibility of information and services.	5 (100)	0 (0)	5 (45.4)
	Public relations (media, titles of groups/programs) N = 4 36.6%	-	Refers to changing how fathers are portrayed in the media and in materials used by the healthcare settings and modify the titles of groups/program to be inclusive of fathers.	0 (0)	4 (100)	4 (36.3)
	Medical records/administration N = 2 18.2%	-	Refers to minimizing administrative and medical record biases (e.g., primary phone number is always that of the mother) to accommodate both parents and promote inclusiveness.	1 (50.0)	1 (50.0)	2 (18.1)
	Total			6 (54.5)	5 (45.5)	11 (100)
Solutions for fathers N = 2 2.8%	Engagement N = 1 50%	-	Refers to fathers to actively engage in conversations during interactions with HCPs.	1 (100)	0 (0)	1 (50.0)
	Awareness N = 1 50%	-	Refers to fathers gaining awareness about their potential impacts of involvement in child's healthcare.	0 (0)	1 (100)	1 (50.0)
	Total			1 (50.0)	1 (50.0)	2 (100)
	Grand Total			18 (25.7)	52 (74.3)	70 (100)