Gender roles and/or styles in crisis: An integrative analysis of the experiences of fathers of children with cancer

Despite a proliferation of research with families of children with cancer a nd gender differences in parental coping, few studies have explicitly explo red the experiences of fathers of children with cancer Using several differ ent data collection efforts, including semistructured in-depth interviews a nd open workshops, this integrative analysis views fathers' experiences thr ough the lens of gender. Findings suggest that fathers' experiences can be understood as influenced by gender identities, gender roles, and the gender ed organization of support systems, employment, and health care institution s. The results suggest the need for interventions that provide fathers and entire families with the opportunity to develop new skills and coping strat egies for dealing with the stresses and challenges of childhood cancer.